After high-speed chase, Des Moines woman charged with 15 crimes including felony gun possession

Shelby Fleig
The Des Moines Register

After being pulled over for driving the wrong direction on a one-way street early Sunday morning, a woman allegedly reversed her car rapidly toward an Iowa State Patrol car and led a trooper on a high-speed chase in Des Moines before crashing, according to a criminal complaint.

Christina Louise Stein, 34, is charged with more than a dozen crimes including being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated and a number of traffic violations.

Christina Louise Stein, 34, is charged with more than a dozen crimes including being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated and a number of traffic violations, after a brief car chase in Des Moines on Sunday, April 4.

According to a complaint filed Monday morning, Stein was pulled over for driving northbound on E. 6th Street, a southbound one-way. Stein told the officer she did not have a driver's license with her. A male passenger exited the the car but reentered at the direction of the state trooper.

The trooper told her to park and turn off the vehicle.

"She then put the vehicle into reverse and rapidly backed up," the trooper wrote in the complaint. "I retreated rearward so I would not be struck by the vehicle. The male exited the vehicle and stated, 'I don't want anything to do with this.'"

Fleeing southbound, Stein made "erratic" lane changes and ran multiple red lights, nearly hitting two other drivers. The chase reached speeds of 75 mph in a 35 mph zone, the complaint said.

Stein eventually crashed into a curb and become stuck near the Principal Park baseball stadium parking lot. While holding her at gunpoint, Des Moines police and the trooper saw a silver .38 revolver at Stein's feet and removed the gun, which was loaded.

After emergency medical technicians responded and removed Stein, officers found a pipe for marijuana, a glass pipe with white residue, and a small bag of what appeared to be methamphetamine, prescription bottles with partially removed labels, and an open container of alcohol inside the car and in Stein's purse.

At Methodist Hospital, Stein refused a preliminary blood test and urine testing. After 8 a.m. Sunday, Stein was taken to the Polk County Jail, where jail staff recognized and identified her. Stein has previously been convicted of felony drug possession.

Stein is being held without bond on the felony gun possession charge. Her other charges include eluding arrest, narcotics possession, unlawful possession of prescription drugs, failure to have a valid license, failure to have proof of insurance, driving under the influence, driving with an open container, possession of drug paraphernalia, violating parole, violating one-way traffic designation, failing to stop at red lights, failing to stop at a stop sign, improper lane changes and speeding.