LEWISTON — A woman shot by police after a high-speed chase Tuesday was treated for a neck injury at a local hospital, then went to jail, authorities said Wednesday.
Kristy Cookson, 28, of Manchester was released from the hospital and taken to Androscoggin County Jail Wednesday afternoon, but was refused pending a psychological examination, a jail spokesman said. She was admitted at the jail later in the day, police said, and is being held on $25,000 cash bail.
Cookson was driving a pickup truck without the owner's permission when she was spotted driving erratically in traffic Tuesday evening. Police pursued her near Walnut and Howard streets when she refused to pull over. They followed her down Horton Street where she drove around a construction site. She drove the wrong way on Ash Street, then sped down Central Avenue past Russell Street, at times reaching 80 mph, police Chief Michael Bussiere said. She crashed into a parked car on outer Central Avenue.
Police charged her with several felony counts, including reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and eluding police. She also was charged with operating after license suspension and violation of bail conditions, Bussiere said.
"It's quite likely that additional charges will follow," Bussiere said. That would be up to the District Attorney's Office, which may wait to present its case to a grand jury.
Cookson is expected to appear in court Thursday, at the earliest, Bussiere said.
Two officers fired their weapons Tuesday night after Cookson tried to run over at least one officer, according to police. Those two officers, Raymond Vega and Keith Caouette, have been put on administrative leave with pay and were at the station Wednesday finishing their reports of Tuesday's events.
"It was fortunate that nobody else had to go to the hospital last night. I really believe that," Bussiere said. "With all due respect to the fact that she was injured and that deadly force was employed, it could have been a lot worse."
The pickup driven by Cookson is registered to Bryan Rand of Pine Cove Road, Manchester.
Kennebec County Sheriff Randall Liberty said Rand, who shares his home with Cookson, reported his 2005 Chevrolet pickup stolen Wednesday morning. Bussiere said his department is working with the Kennebec County Sheriff's Department to investigate the stolen-vehicle report.
It was the second vehicle Rand had reported stolen in the past week.
According to Lt. Donald Pomelow of the Maine State Police, Rand reported a stolen vehicle on Nov. 24. "We put out a teletype on the stolen vehicle and Lewiston police called back very quickly, stating that Ms. Cookson was arrested for OUI in that vehicle earlier in the day," Pomelow said.
The vehicle was impounded in Lewiston and Rand declined to prosecute, Pomelow said.
Police had blood drawn from Cookson on Tuesday. That sample was taken Wednesday to the Maine State Police Crime Laboratory in Augusta where it will tested for alcohol and drugs, Bussiere said.
Cookson has a "very, very extensive" criminal record in Maine and in Florida's Broward County, Bussiere said.
She was charged on Nov. 24 with drunken driving in Lewiston and was released on $100 cash bail. Her bail conditions included not to use or possess alcohol or illegal drugs.
Bussiere said his department would conduct an in-house review of the shootings to determine whether policies and procedures were followed. A debriefing of the chase also will take place.
An officer is conducting an accident reconstruction, with Maine State Police assisting.
The Maine Attorney General's Office is expected to review the shooting to determine whether deadly force was warranted, which is standard procedure.
District Attorney Norman Croteau and Attorney General Janet Mills appeared at the scene Tuesday night.
Bussiere said examination of Cookson's conduct in Broward County might help explain her behavior Tuesday evening.
"Once we get those answers, it may shed some more light," he said.
Cookson was arrested 11 times while in Broward County, at least twice for assault on a law enforcement officer or emergency medical provider, Bussiere said. She also was arrested at least once for alleged drunken driving. She had several drug arrests, he said.
In Maine, Cookson was convicted last year on one count of domestic violence assault and sentenced to 120 days in jail, with all time suspended. She violated her probation on that charge earlier this year and served eight days in jail.
Since Cookson's Maine license was issued, she has been involved in one previous accident and, since 2008, has been convicted of one count of operating under the influence, operating without a license, operating an unregistered vehicle, failure to pay a fine, failure to display inspection sticker, failure to produce evidence of insurance and three convictions for failing to appear in court on separate charges of failing to report an accident, driving without a license and operating under the influence of liquor. In 2008, Cookson's license was suspended for seven months for failure to take a Breathalyzer test.
Kennebec Journal staff writer Craig Crosby contributed to this report.


Regardless of the Florida
Regardless of the Florida charges she has enough of a background here to put her away for some real time.
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Why was she released on $100 bail for OUI with that criminal history? Maybe if the bail commissioner had her bail higher she would have still been in jail.
I also believe that if we continue to cut mental health funding situations like these will continue....and will probably have more deadly endings....
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The pickup driven by Cookson is registered to Bryan Rand of Pine Cove Road, Manchester.
Kennebec County Sheriff Randall Liberty said Rand, who shares his home with Cookson, reported his 2005 Chevrolet pickup stolen Wednesday morning. Bussiere said his department is working with the Kennebec County Sheriff's Department to investigate the stolen-vehicle report.
It was the second vehicle Rand had reported stolen in the past week.
Keith, you need to read a little bit more between the lines, it does not say she shares her home with the deputy, the deputy is saying whom she shares her home with, and that person's nmae is Bryan Rand.
This whole story and disgusting on it's own, it does not need any embellishing. She looks like a Meth Head.
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Thanks for the clarification! You're right; I did misread that.
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What is she doing living with the sheriff? I'll bet there's a story there!
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She wasn't shacking it up with the Sheriff fool, Rand is the owner of the truck she stole.
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At that moment, it did not matter what her prior charges were, or whether any of them had stuck. She was ramming cars and could have killed someone.
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So ramming cars is a shootable offense??
Quick, where do I apply for the funeral services contract for the Demolition Derby!!!
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When I was a young Sailor - I drank like a Sailor, fought like a Sailor, and screwed like a Sailor. Now that I am old and wise - I have a few scars, but many fond memories.
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Using a care to attempt to run down a police officer is attempted murder. Courts have upheld police officers shooting drivers who do this. Its not simple "ramming."
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Well, they've got Bonny. Now, if they can just figure out where Clyde is.
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Way to go officers! Its just too bad that we dont punish the people that you guys work so hard to get off the streets. She was sentenced to 120 days in jail, with all of it suspended. THEN violates probation on this charge and gets 8 days in jail. When she violated the probation, she should have immediatly been made to serve the 120 she was originally given on that charge.
Maine is a joke...therefore I am gladtobegone!!
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Thank you Lewiston police for takeing this women off the streets Job well done
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These cops put their lives on the line every night while most of us sleep. If the city Administrator makes 110 grand a year, the Patrol cops should be making that much, or more.
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Right, Ginger1
Then think what your taxes would really be. There's be no end to the pizzing and moaning!!!
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When I was a young Sailor - I drank like a Sailor, fought like a Sailor, and screwed like a Sailor. Now that I am old and wise - I have a few scars, but many fond memories.
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In the yesterday's article SJ stated she was previously arrested in Maine on a felony flight warrant on 7 charges out of Florida and ALL were dismissed. As I said yesterday in the comment section of that article, Florida is famous for knowingly filing false and even false and malicious charges in the hopes the defendant will offer a cash settlement before trial. In the bulk of cases the DAs in Florida unlike most states make no plea offer, if the victimized "defendant" doesn't offer cash to not have to deal with the mess any further (like flying back and forth), on opening trial day the DA announces they will not be proscecuting. BEWARE IF YOU ARE PLANNING A VACATION TO FLORIDA!
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You are out to lunch, Gal! If FL is so crooked, why do they still put down people in Stark, FL.? Why do your judges up here bother giving some creep a prison sentence, then suspend the jail time? Break probation and get a few days in jail instead of the suspended time left.
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Another Urban Legend. I lived in Florida for 10 years and NEVER heard of this, or anything remotely like it. You don't know what you are talking about.
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Oh pleeeeeeeeease!
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Would you like to respond? Login or create a new account. You'll need to verify your account before you can respond."Please what?" It's
"Please what?"
It's convictions that count - not charges.
Often a defendant is 'shotgunned' with multiple charges in many jurisdictions with the expectation (or hope) that they will plead guilty to at least one, - and the rest nolle prossed (or dropped) and the DA or States' Attorney will be spared from going to trial.
The important thing for the Sun Journal to find out here is whether or not this woman has actual convictions in other jurisdictions to report.
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When I was a young Sailor - I drank like a Sailor, fought like a Sailor, and screwed like a Sailor. Now that I am old and wise - I have a few scars, but many fond memories.
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"Please beware if you are planning a vacation to Florida" - doesn't sound like Ms. Angel was vacationing during her stay in Florida!
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So what she has previously been charged with is irrelavant in terms of her "angel" status but would explain fear of cops. It would be nice to have SJ include what she has been convicted of by judge or jury.
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Fear of cops....thats a good one, she is a loser from the get go - get her the hell off the streets!
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But she will say it not her fault. she is a perfect angel.
And just to head off the questions/statements it is standard to put the officers on paid leave after a shooting so the AGs can investigate.
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