LEWISTON, N.Y. — Two individuals were arrested Monday following a chase with deputies from the Niagara County Sheriff's Office.
Deputies say a woman was allegedly seen grabbing a long gun from the bushes near 5355 Walmore Road in Lewiston Monday morning and handed it to a male passenger in a black sedan. Deputies say the pair then drove away.
Deputies were able to locate the vehicle and attempted to stop the car on Saunders Settlement Road, which resulted in a vehicle pursuit.
With assistance from the Border Patrol helicopter, the car was spotted driving in the City of Niagara Falls driving down Buffalo Avenue. During the pursuit the car drove off the roadway, hit a street sign, then continued for several hundred feet before hitting a utility pole head on.
The driver and the passenger were both evaluated for minor injuries and taken into police custody.
The driver, Maria Hansgate, 22, was charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, along with numerous traffic violations.
The passenger, Tommy Kraft, 28, was turned over to the city of Niagara Falls Police for charges related to domestic violence. The Niagara County Sheriff's Office says future charges are pending against Kraft.
