photo by: Shawnee County

Sherika Naomi Carey

A 26-year-old woman who was accused of stealing a city bus last week has been charged with robbery and other crimes.

Sherika Naomi Carey is alleged to have forced her way into the driver’s seat of the Lawrence Transit bus late Friday morning shortly after the driver and two passengers exited at Central Station, 2315 Bob Billings Parkway. She allegedly drove the bus north on Iowa Street, east on Sixth Street and north on Maine Street, reaching speeds of 35 to 40 mph. Police officers were able to surround the bus near Second and Michigan streets and take Carey into custody, as the Journal-World reported.

On Monday, the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office charged Carey with robbery and fleeing or attempting to elude police, both felonies, and unlawful request for emergency service assistance, a misdemeanor.

Carey is currently facing misdemeanor harassment and stalking charges in Shawnee County and has a string of juvenile offenses in other counties, including battery in Johnson, Saline and Neosho counties.