By Sarah Nigbor

PRESCOTT – When Prescott police attempted to pull over a St. Paul woman for speeding 55 mph in a 25-mph zone on Wednesday, Feb. 23, the woman was less than cooperative, collecting herself multiple felony charges and leading police on what could be termed a low-speed chase.

Saprina Mays, 29, was ordered to pay a $500 cash bond Feb. 25 in Pierce County Circuit Court on four felony attempt battery or threat to judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer charges, plus felony second-degree recklessly endangering safety, felony vehicle operator flee/elude officer, disorderly conduct and two resisting or obstructing an officer charges. If convicted, Mays faces up to 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $25,000.

According to the complaint: A Prescott officer conducting stationary radar at 7:24 p.m. Feb. 23 clocked a vehicle heading southbound on Jefferson Street going 55 mph in a 25-mph zone. The officer also saw the driver pass another vehicle in a no-passing zone. Once the car passed the officer, the driver slammed on its brakes. The officer recognized the driver from a previous traffic stop in January and remembered the she wasn’t law enforcement-friendly.

When the officer approached the vehicle, they could see three children in the back passenger seat without seat belts or car seats. The driver cracked her window and began recording the officer, who told her she was being pulled over for speeding and passing in a no-passing zone. Mays demanded to see the radar and said she can legally drive on the roads because she’s a citizen. She also refused to identify herself or provide her driver’s license for the officer to see because she said hadn’t committed a crime. She then rolled up the window and locked all her doors.

The officer asked Mays to step out of the vehicle multiple times, which she refused to do. Two other officers arrived and Child Protective Services was called. When officers told Mays CPS had been called because the children weren’t wearing seat belts and not in car seats, Mays swore, rolled up her window and took off. Officers caught up with her quickly because she was going about 35 mph, still heading south on Jefferson Street. She finally pulled over about two miles later and stopped between 570th Avenue and 1240th Street on Jefferson Street/Highway 35.

Officers again made multiple attempts to get Mays to step out of the vehicle, but she refused. Multiple Pierce County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on the scene to assist around 8:01 p.m. An officer placed a tire deflation device in front of Mays’ tires in case she tried to flee again. Eventually, officers had to break the front left side window of the vehicle at 8:15 p.m. to get Mays out. When officers informed Mays they would need to use a window punch if she refused to comply, she put her head and upper left side against the window and said “There’s going to be a lawsuit and I want you to hit me with it. Hit me with it.”

Once police got Mays out of the vehicle, she fought officers by pulling away, flailing, kicking and attempting to bite. She tried to kick officers several times until they were able to get her on the ground and handcuff her behind her back.

Police found a total of five kids in the car. Allina EMS brought two ambulances to the scene; when Mays was placed on a stretcher, she continued to flail and kick. Officers had to hold her down and she tried to bite a paramedic. Once she was secured, the ambulance transported her to River Falls Area Hospital for an evaluation, where she was cleared to be taken to Pierce County Jail. The children’s grandmother picked them up at the police station.

Mays is scheduled to next appear at a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. March 17.

Saprina Mays