MECHANICSVILLE, Md. – A Mechanicsville woman is facing multiple charges after allegedly stealing her father’s truck and leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit across two counties on October 1, 2024. Kelly Morgan Carlson, 37, was charged with motor vehicle theft, eluding police, reckless driving, and other related offenses.
According to Maryland State Police, officers were called to a home on Livingston Drive in Mechanicsville after a report of a stolen vehicle. The vehicle’s owner, Carlson’s father, claimed that his daughter took his burgundy Chevrolet Silverado without permission following an argument. Carlson, who had recently been discharged from a psychiatric facility, was reportedly still experiencing mental health challenges when she grabbed the keys from her father’s pocket and fled in the truck.
Police quickly spotted the Silverado at a traffic light on New Market Turner Road and confirmed it was the stolen vehicle. As officers attempted to stop the truck on Thompson’s Corner Road, Carlson led them on a chase, reaching speeds up to 100 mph on Budd’s Creek Road. Despite several attempts by officers to deploy stop sticks, Carlson continued to evade capture, swerving around the obstacles.
The pursuit was eventually called off when it crossed into Charles County, following authorization from the Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack. Carlson later contacted her father from Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Virginia, expressing fear. Officers located the stolen truck in the hospital parking lot and returned it to her father with assistance from Fredericksburg police.
Carlson has been charged with multiple offenses, including motor vehicle theft, theft of property between $25,000 and $100,000, attempting to elude police, reckless driving, negligent driving, speeding, and failing to stop at a stop sign. After a bond review hearing, she was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to appear in St. Mary’s County District Court on January 30, 2025.
This case highlights the complexities law enforcement faces during high-speed chases, as well as the challenges of dealing with individuals facing mental health issues in criminal situations.
