Yesterday morning, the WRV School Resource Officer reported a suspicious woman in a vehicle at the middle school. The SRO followed her to a gas station and when a deputy arrived on the scene, he determined the woman was driving a stolen vehicle.

Chelsea Nicole Randolph, 34, Linnville, Ind., was arrested by Deputy James Carpenter of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department yesterday morning, Monday, September 27.

At 9:09 a.m. yesterday, White River Valley (WRV) School Resource Officer Ron Sparks contacted the sheriff’s department. Officer Sparks was at the WRV Middle School outside Lyons. He reported a woman with a child was there at the school, refusing to leave.

Deputy Carpenter responded and while he was on the way, Officer Sparks advised him the woman was leaving the school property in a black Hyundai Tucson. He was able to provide license plate information and said the child was not restrained as the vehicle left.

Officer Sparks followed the vehicle and then advised Deputy Carpenter the vehicle had stopped at the gas station in Lyons. Officer Sparks did not make contact with the woman but continued to observe.

Deputy Carpenter asked dispatch for information on the plate number. The information returned for a black 2015 Hyundai Tucson that belonged to a woman in Haubstadt, Ind. The vehicle had been reported stolen out of Gibson County.

When Deputy Carpenter arrived at the station at 9:26 a.m., the woman was sitting in the driver’s seat of the Tucson. With emergency lights on, the deputy parked in front of the Tucson, ordered her out of the vehicle, then detained her.

The driver was identified as Chelsea Randolph. When asked if this was her vehicle, she allegedly said no, it was her sister’s. When asked if she was supposed to take it back, Randolph didn’t answer.

When contacted later, the vehicle owner confirmed she had reported it stolen and had not given her sister permission to drive her vehicle.

The child was in a booster restraint seat when the deputy arrived at the station. He reported the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) was contacted and they arrived at 10:17 and assumed care of the child.

The owner was advised she could get the key to the vehicle at the sheriff’s department and pick the vehicle up at the gas station.

Randolph was booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:28 a.m. with bond set at $4,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. As of late Tuesday, September 28, Randolph had not yet posted bond and was still in custody.

She is facing a preliminary charge of auto theft, a Level 6 felony.