Suspects in Belton shoplifting case face three felony charges after wild car chase

Two shoplifting suspects who fled Sunday from police were charged with three felonies, according to the Belton Police Department.

Travon Green, 21, and Erica L. Foster, 28, allegedly stole nearly $2,700 in merchandise from Kohl’s, 914 E. North Ave. in Belton, shortly before 2 p.m. then led police on a wild chase that ended in the 6000 block of East 86th Street in Kansas City, Mo.

According to a probable-cause statement from Belton police, a loss-prevention employee at Kohl’s called police, anticipating an attempted theft as Green and Foster loaded carts with merchandise — including a hoverboard, Nike hats and shoes, baby clothes and assorted other items that were recovered from the car after the chase.

Most of the stolen items were abandoned in carts in the Kohl’s parking lot after responding officers attempted to stop Green and Foster, as they entered a tan 2002 Ford Focus in the parking lot after leaving the store without paying for the two filled carts.

A Belton police officer ordered Green, who was already in the car, to put up his hands and opened the car door to take him into custody.

Instead, Green turned on the ignition and put the car into gear as the officer grabbed him in an attempt to prevent him from fleeing.

Green then accelerated, forcing the officer to let go of the suspect before being dragged or pinned between the patrol car and the fleeing vehicle.

Green later admitted to having an outstanding warrant for missing a court appearance in a domestic assault that involved Foster, citing that as the reason he fled, according to court records.

Attempting to elude Belton police, Green, with Foster also in the car, drove north on Interstate 49 at speeds reaching nearly 90 mph

At the 3-Trails Crossing, which is formerly known as the Grandview Triangle, the suspects headed north on Interstate 435.

They exited the highway at Bannister Road and then got back on I-435. They exited again at East 87th Street, but traffic prevented them from reentering the highway.

Now on only three tires, according to the Belton police probable cause statement, the defendant’s vehicle struck another car in the roundabout at that exit and proceeded eastbound.

The suspects then took Freemont Avenue north to East 86th Street, which dead ends in both directions.

The suspects tried to cut through some yards before they stopped and were taken into custody.

Police recovered more than $775 worth of merchandise from the suspect’s vehicle. There was an additional $885 in merchandise in Green’s cart and nearly $1,030 in stolen goods in Foster’s cart, both of which were recovered in the Kohl’s parking lot.

Belton police announced Monday that Green and Foster, both from Kansas City, Mo., each were charged in Cass County Circuit Court with one count of stealing (more than $750), a class D felony; one count of second-degree assault of a special victim (the Belton police officer), a class B felony; and one count of resisting arrest by fleeing (creating a substantial risk of serious injury or death), a class E felony.

Both Green and Foster remained in Cass County Jail as of Tuesday afternoon.

This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Suspects in Belton shoplifting case face three felony charges after wild car chase."