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LOGAN — The second of two women accused in a crime spree that included a hit-and-run and high-speed chase in northern Utah has been charged.
Breasi Marie Montano, 26, of West Valley City, was charged in 1st District Court with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony; aggravated assault and shoplifting, both third-degree felonies; and failing to remain at the scene of an accident, a class A misdemeanor.
They are the same charges that Brittney Lee Franklin, 35, of West Valley City, also faces. Franklin was also charged last week with obstructing justice, a second-degree felony; failing to stop at the command of police, a third-degree felony; failing to stop for law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor; and reckless driving, a class B misdemeanor.
On Aug. 14, Montano ran out of Al’s Sporting Goods in Logan carrying items she had allegedly shoplifted, according to charging documents. Franklin was in a car in the parking lot waiting for her, the charges state.
With store employees running after them, “Franklin swerved the vehicle toward one of the the employees and the vehicle hit the employee causing injuries,” according to charging documents. Investigators noted in the charges that after reviewing store surveillance video, Franklin intentionally hit the employee.
Police in the area began pursuit of the two women. At a stop light in Wellsville, a Cache County sheriff’s deputy deployed his Taser at Franklin and hit her in the arm, the charges state. But when the light turned green, her car took off again, this time reaching 80 to 100 mph through Sardine Canyon, the charges state.
The chase ended when police spiked the vehicle’s tires in Brigham City. Franklin was taken into custody, but Montano was able to escape by running through the Brigham Golf Course, according to charging documents.
“While serving a search warrant on the vehicle involved, detectives located a trunk full of stolen merchandise from several stores located in Logan. Further charges are forthcoming,” according to Tuesday’s charging affidavit.
Franklin lied to police about her partner’s identity. Detectives used social media to identify Montana, the charges state.
Franklin was convicted in 2018 of possession of a weapon by a restricted person. In July, just one month prior to her latest arrest, she was placed on renewed probation for violating the terms of her 2018 conviction and sentencing, according to court records.
Montano was convicted of felony robbery in 2014 and sentenced to 1 to 15 years in the Utah State Prison, according to court records. Both women were on felony probation at the time of their arrests.
