Donna Connelly, 54, of Lewes, has been jailed on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, shoplifting and forcing a store manager to jump out of the way of a vehicle she was using in an attempt to get away.
On Friday at around 5:40 p.m., officers from the Rehoboth Beach Police Department were dispatched to the Loungin’ Lizard clothing store for a report of a shoplifting.
Officers were told Connelly had attempted to shoplift multiple items of clothing from the Loungin’ Lizard and Superkind department stores on Rehoboth Avenue by concealing the items in a large handbag.
When confronted by a store manager, Connelly denied the accusations, emptied the stolen contents from her purse, and fled in her vehicle. The store manager who was attempting to stop Connelly had to jump out of the way of Connelly’s vehicle to avoid being struck.
Witnesses on scene were able to provide police with a description of Connelly and the registration number.
Officers found Connelly as she arrived at her residence in Lewes in the vehicle. Connelly was taken into custody and transported back to the police department where she was administered standardized field sobriety test. In was determined that Connelly was intoxicated and that her driver’s licenses was suspended, officers reported.
Connelly was arrested and charged with one felony count of fourth offense driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, one misdemeanor count of second degree reckless endangering, one misdemeanor count of shoplifting under $1500.00, one misdemeanor count of attempted shoplifting under $1500.00, and one count of driving while suspended or revoked.
Connelly was taken to the Sussex Correctional Institution in lieu of an $11,000 secured bail.
