KATY, Texas – A Katy mom found herself in the middle of a police chase Wednesday morning after a woman tried to cash a fraudulent check at a Capital One Bank.
Miranda, who asked that her last name not be made public, said she was on the way to the elementary school her kids attend in the Seven Meadows subdivision when a car with two women nearly hit her.
Police said the driver, 21-year-old Monica Luna, and the passenger, 19-year-old Yesenia Yolanda Ayala, were suspected of trying to pass a bad check at the bank on 1250 Pinoak Road.
Katy police had been following the women's car for more than six miles at speeds over 70 mph along residential streets after attempting to stop them leaving the bank. The driver, Luna, swerved into a curb on Gaston Road after passing Miranda's car.
"They came up on the curve, came back down, tried to proceed down the road, and realized because the two tires were blown realized they weren't going to be able to and that's when they got out," Miranda said.
Both suspects ran according to police. A Katy officer arrived in time to subdue Ayala, but Luna appeared to be getting away.
"I pulled my car in front of her and opened my door and told her she needed to stop," Miranda said.
But the woman kept running. So Miranda left her car and followed on foot. She caught up with Luna and grabbed her arm, but the suspect began to struggle with her, so Miranda put her on the ground.
"I told my husband I don't know where the strength came from, but I picked her up... she was probably twice my weight, and laid her down on the ground, then held her arm behind her, and sat on her until the cops got there," said Miranda.
Miranda stands 5 feet 1 inch tall, and weighs 110 pounds. She competed last weekend in the Houston Marathon, and just happened to be wearing her running shoes. She was on her way to her kids' school, Bonnie Holland Elementary, to tend to PTA duties before heading out for a run. Her 6-year-old son attends kindergarten there. Her 8-year-old daughter is a third grader.
She said she was angry because the women were speeding through a school zone near the school.
"It did make me angry. I knew the school was right there," Miranda said. "If it had been a different time of the day, it could have caused a major accident. She could have killed somebody, and I said that to her when I had her on the ground."
Luna was charged with evading arrest in a vehicle and fraudulent use of possession of identifying information. Ayala was charged with evading arrest on foot.
Both suspects will be transported to the Fort Bend County Jail.