Story Archive

Where Are You?

Police in Redding, Calif., tried to pull over Sharon Kay Turman, 51, at the request of her probation officer — she had violated her probation, he said. She was easy to find: she was living in her van, which was painted like the “Mystery Machine” van from the TV cartoon, Scooby Doo. But when Turman saw the cops she took off, leading officers on a chase exceeding 100 mph before jumping out and running. She managed to stay on the lam for 10 days, and finally turned herself in — because she hoped “that by turning herself in, she would be reunited with her van.” She explained that “by calling the van the Mystery Machine, she would be able to elude capture by law enforcement if she were ever pulled over.” That didn’t work too well: she was booked on felony charges of recklessly evading a law enforcement officer, driving on a suspended license, violating a court order, and the original charge of violating her probation. (RC/KRCR Redding) ...And she would have gotten away with it, too, if not for those meddling kids.