MCSO: Naked woman crashes stolen sheriff's car after high-speed chase

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Lisa Luna

An unusual high-speed pursuit in Arizona took place on January 5th involving a stolen Maricopa County Sheriff's vehicle came to an end with a crash along Interstate 10.

The person behind the wheel, identified as 31-year-old Lisa Luna, was naked, and reportedly said she was sexually assaulted.  

Luna allegedly took officers and deputies on a 75-mile chase, with speeds reaching 100 miles an hour at times. Spike strips helped bring the bizarre pursuit to a dramatic end, near the town of Eloy.

It all began in Gila Bend, when the woman walked up to a gas station there. The station's manager said the woman appeared to be in her late-20s or early-30s, and appeared calm.

"Well, from the security footage, she was just walking normal," said the manager. "She didn't seem like she was intoxicated, or anything like that."

Some people outside the station called Sheriff's deputies, and one arrived within two minutes. Officials with the MCSO said the deputy tried to help the woman.

"It was at that time that she entered the deputy's vehicle, and actually started driving off" said a department spokesperson.

The deputy reportedly asked a family at the gas station if he could follow the woman in their car. The family said yes, and the deputy got into the car, and drove after the woman, while staying safely behind her.

The woman then sped down Interstate 8 for 75 miles, in the direction of Casa Grande. Spiked stop sticks were deployed, which flattened at least one of the tires. The woman then got on Interstate 10, heading in the direction of Tucson, but had a minor collision with another car, near Eloy.

Deputies reportedly used a bean-bag gun to hit the woman in the leg, so that she can be stopped and arrested.

Luna reportedly suffered from what appeared to be minor injuries.

By the following week, investigators said Luna had changed her tune and said at the time of the incident, she was high on meth and spice. She recanted the assault story. Officials say she took off her clothes while walking along a road in Gila Bend and told them the effects of the drugs caused her to steal the vehicle.

Meanwhile, the manager of the gas station is still trying to wrap his head around what had happened.

"You see a lot of interesting people here, but we've never seen anything like this to happen here before," said the manager. "I don't know. I honestly don't know what to think."

Bond has been set at $50,000 for Luna. She remains jailed on suspicion of felony counts of endangerment, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and theft of a means of transportation. She is facing a January 17th preliminary hearing.