One woman’s Fourth of July celebration came to an abrupt halt after she allegedly tried to dodge LaGrange police officers, smashed her SUV into a curb and was eventually arrested about 2 a.m. on Tuesday in the 1500 block of Vernon Street.

The driver tried to avoid a traffic safety checkpoint set up by officers at Vernon Road at Vernon Street by making a quick left turn onto Vernon Street, police stated. As she did, she allegedly almost hit a police officer walking in the turn lane.

The woman continued to drive erratically and barely missed colliding with an AMR ambulance responding to an emergency call in front of LaGrange Academy, the report states.

She lost control of the SUV, struck a flower bed and curb in front of the Learning Center at 1507 Vernon St., and continued into the woods where she jumped from the vehicle and ran, officers said.

The suspect was soon caught walking on some nearby railroad tracks, police stated. She said she did not want to stop at the traffic checkpoint because she did not have her driver’s license, according to the report. She then refused to cooperate anymore with officers and was arrested.

The woman was cited for failure to maintain lane, failure to show proof of insurance, fleeing and attempting to elude police, two counts of resisting arrest and obstruction, reckless driving and driving on a suspended drivers license, all misdemeanors.

Shoplifting

• LaGrange police responded to a shoplifting in progress at Walmart on New Franklin Road just after 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Two men and a woman stocked a buggy full of items valued at $1,951.98 and the men pushed the cart out in to the parking lot, where the woman was then waiting in an SUV. The manager and a few employees confronted them in the parking lot and one of the men handed over the buggy, stated store officials.

As managers attempted to escort them back inside the store to report the theft, the three jumped into the SUV and fled.

Officers canvassed the area for the vehicle, but did not find it.

• LaGrange police were also on the lookout for a couple who allegedly stole more than $900 in merchandise from Home Depot at 1500 Lafayette Parkway.

The couple is shown on surveillance cameras and was seen by an employee attempting to purchase a wire feed welder and automatic gate opener at a self-checkout aisle about 7:10 p.m. on June 30, stated the store manager. While the woman paid, the man left the store with the items. A cashier informed the woman her card was declined and she said she would run to the car and get another form of payment, the manager told police.

Instead, they loaded the merchandise into their car and left without paying. The employee described the vehicle as either white or silver with an Alabama tag.

The estimated value of both items was $917.

Police were investigating both incidents.