DELMAR – A Delanson woman who was supposed to be in a Colonie courtroom on Wednesday, Oct. 25, instead racked up 24 additional charges after she allegedly stole from a drug store, carjacked a vehicle, and led police on a car chase. She had six outstanding warrants when arrested.
According to reports, Bethlehem police responded to a larceny in progress at CVS at 260 Delaware Ave., that escalated into a robbery as Betsy Jablonski, 39, and an accomplice allegedly forcibly stole a vehicle from a person in the CVS parking lot.
Officers responding to the call located the stolen vehicle and attempted to stop it. Jablonski refused to stop for officers from the Bethlehem Police Department, New York State Police, and Albany County Sheriff’s Department as the chase continued through town, into New Scotland and onto the Thruway at exit 21 in Selkirk, traveling northbound in the southbound lane.
The chase was not at high speed because the vehicle had a flat tire.
The Sheriff’s units discontinued the chase at the Thruway. State police and Bethlehem pursued in the northbound lane without lights or sirens.
Jablonski eventually stopped the vehicle on the onramp, because she was traveling the wrong way, of Exit 24 of the Thruway. She and a passenger in the vehicle fled on foot in the vicinity of Crossgate Commons, but Jablonski was located hiding in a wooded area and taken into custody after a search by City of Albany, Bethlehem and State Police officers.
The passenger and alleged accomplice was not found, but Bethlehem detectives said they have leads and an arrest is likely.
Jablonski was taken to Albany Medical Center Hospital with minor injuries and arrested by Bethlehem police on Friday, Oct. 27, as she was being released.
She was charged with robbery-motor vehicle, grand larceny, criminal mischief and conspiracy, all felonies, and fleeing a police officer, conspiracy, reckless driving, petit larceny and aggravated unlicensed operation, all misdemeanors.
She was also ticketed for driving the wrong way on one way street, no lights, no tail light, failure to obey a traffic device, speeding, driving to the left of pavement markings, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to stop at stop sign, red light violation and failure to keep right.
Jablonski was arraigned in Bethlehem Town Court by Judge Andrew Kirby and sent to the Albany County jail in lieu of $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond.
Jablonski also had six active warrants at the time of arrest – two from Guilderland and at least one from State Police.
A preliminary hearing took place Tuesday, Oct. 31, and she was sent back to jail.
State Police arrested Jablonski on Tuesday, Oct. 31, and filed additional charges related to wrong way travel up the Thruway. Police charged her with grand larceny, a felony, and reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor and she was sent back to Albany County jail.
Supposed to be in court
This was not Jablonski’s first brush with the law. She was arrested a few weeks ago in Colonie on drugs, fraud and destroying evidence charges.
On Monday, Oct. 9, at 4:31 p.m., Colonie police responded to Marshall’s on Central Avenue for a report of a larceny.
A short distance from the store, officers located Jablonski allegedly with the stolen merchandise in her possession. During a search of her person, officers located a small amount of crack cocaine and a pipe. Jablonski also gave a false name to police. She was taken back to the police station for processing, where, according to reports, she allegedly put the cocaine and pipe down her pants in order to conceal it.
She was charged with concealing, altering or destroying physical evidence, a felony, and criminal impersonation, criminal possession of a controlled substance and petit larceny, all misdemeanors.
She was given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Oct. 23 and released but did not show up on that day. The appearance was rescheduled for Oct. 25 – the same day she allegedly robbed the store and stole the car at the Delmar CVS. The charges from the Oct. 9 incident were not bail eligible and did not go before a judge.
As of press time, Colonie Town Court was in the process of issuing a bench warrant for Jablonski.
