After noticing the Subaru she was driving had no license plates and a defective tail light Oct. 31, Grand County Sheriff’s deputies said they attempted to pull over Evergreen resident Melodie Raab, 34. Raab did not stop when the deputies pulled out of the Granby NAPA Auto Parts and, according to a warrantless arrest probable cause statement, she sped up.

Heading eastbound through Granby, Raab reportedly drove away from deputies while swerving over the center yellow line and nearly causing an accident by the bridge that goes over train tracks on the town’s east side. 

Deputies chased Raab from Granby east to Tabernash at speeds as high as 91 mph, according to the statement. The Fraser Winter Park Police agreed to use stop sticks to deflate Raab’s tires at County Road 8 in Fraser, and a deputy reported seeing Raab throw a clear baggie out of her window.

Between Tabernash and Fraser, the chase reached 97 mph and Raab almost hit another car. Raab avoided the stop sticks as she entered Fraser and was reported driving 80 mph through the 35 mph zone. Sheriff Brett Schroetlin granted units in pursuit the authority to use a tactical vehicle intervention, a maneuver where law enforcement makes contact with a suspect’s vehicle to make it spin out, as the chase drove through Winter Park.

Raab slowed from 87 mph to 35 mph as she approached a red light at Old Town Drive near Winter Park Resort. A deputy used a tactical vehicle intervention maneuver to make Raab spin out, but she was able to turn right on Old Town Drive before losing control as the road curved to the left. According to the statement, another deputy used another tactical maneuver again to make the Subaru come to a stop.

Deputies drew their guns and ordered Raab and the passenger, her husband, to put their hands up before pulling Raab from the vehicle and arresting her. The statement read she was clearly under the influence and admitted to using drugs within an hour of her arrest. Raab also told deputies the car she was driving was stolen, she did not have a license and she threw drugs out of her window during the chase.

Raab told deputies she did not have any more drugs in the car, but they later found less than a gram of methamphetamine on the passenger’s seat. Raab also had an outstanding felony warrant for her arrest from the Arvada Police Department for aggravated motor vehicle theft, a Class 3 felony.

Deputies charged Raab’s husband with a misdemeanor for unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Raab’s charges include a Class 5 felony for vehicular eluding, a Class 5 felony for aggravated motor vehicle theft, a misdemeanor for driving under the influence, a misdemeanor for unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor for reckless driving, a misdemeanor for speeding 40 mph over the limit, driving without a license and a Class 3 felony for being a fugitive from justice.

Raab and her husband are scheduled for court appearances in late November and early December.