Texas Woman Accused of Running Red Light, Causing Fatal Accident All for a Really Stupid Reason

Police say a Texas woman caused a fatal car crash early Sunday morning that killed a mother and injured a teenage girl, all for about $50 worth of stolen merchandise.

The suspected shoplifter, whose identity has not yet been made public by local authorities, reportedly stole a Hello Kitty purse and a few other small items from a Pasadena, Texas, Walmart around 1 a.m.

When she tried to sneak out of the store, a security guard confronted her, the Houston Chronicle reported, citing Pasadena police spokesman Vance Mitchell.

The Walmart Supercenter in the 5200 block of Fairmont Parkway in Pasadena, Texas. (Image source: Google Maps)

The suspect reportedly pushed the guard to the ground and got into a nearby pickup truck, fleeing in an eastbound direction.

In her getaway, she ran a red light and struck a car that was headed through the intersection.

The driver of the car, Anita Benton of Baytown, Texas, was killed instantly, the Chronicle reported. Benton’s 13-year-old teenage daughter was injured in the wreck and airlifted to a nearby hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The suspected shoplifter fled eastbound on the Fairmont Parkway in her pickup truck (Image source: Google Maps)

Mitchell said the suspected shoplifter was arrested and will face charges later this week.

"It's senseless for a mother to lose her life over less than $50 worth of merchandise for shoplifting," the police spokesman said. "It's a very tragic incident."

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Featured image via Amazon

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