An undercover Ohio police officer began his shift Monday morning in a gray 2005 Ford Taurus. He ended it on foot in an isolated parking lot after he was outwitted by an alleged prostitute who managed to escape in his police car.
The alleged prostitute, Morgan Nelson, 22, was apprehended late Monday morning after the stolen police vehicle was spotted at a rest stop in Delaware County, a spokeswoman for the Columbus Division of Police told The Huffington Post.
"She was captured and the vehicle was recovered," the spokeswoman said.
Police first came into contact with Nelson at about 2:30 a.m. in an area known for prostitution on Columbus' west side. An undercover detective allegedly lured Nelson into his unmarked police car and drove her to a parking lot near S. Central Ave.
After parking the vehicle, the undercover detective revealed that he was a police officer and attempted to arrest Nelson. She allegedly jumped out of the vehicle and, when the officer attempted to follow and grab her, she jumped back into the police car.
Police say the officer received minor injuries when he attempted to get Nelson out of the vehicle as she sped off in it. Nelson allegedly struck another undercover police vehicle as she fled the area, police said.
The undercover officer's badge, cellphone and two police radios were inside the vehicle. Police were initially able to trace the car using the cellphone, but it was later found on the ground near the intersection of Harrisburg Pike and Brown Road.
Nelson's whereabouts remained unknown until the stolen undercover police vehicle was spotted at the rest area by a state patrol officer around 9 a.m. When the officer inspected the vehicle, he found Nelson asleep inside, police said.
Nelson now faces several charges, including aggravated robbery.
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