Woman gets 4 years’ probation for low-speed chase that injured 2

The car traveled erratically at 2 to 5 mph down East Market Street.

STAFF REPORT

WARREN — A city woman who pleaded guilty in November to a felony charge after she led Warren police on a low-speed chase last July that injured two police officers has been sentenced to four years’ probation.

Tracye L. Peno, 36, of South Street, also will be randomly tested for alcohol and drugs and will have to complete a drug program.

She received the sentence Thursday from Judge John M. Stuard in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. The charge — failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer — could have led to a prison sentence of up to five years.

A police officer was called to East Market Street at a busy time in the afternoon near Country Club Drive for a woman driving erratically. He followed alongside Peno for several minutes trying to get her to stop.

Both vehicles were traveling between 2 and 5 mph. Eventually, Sgt. Joe O’Grady pulled his cruiser in front of the other cruiser and walked toward the driver’s door of Peno’s car, police said.

As he opened her door and tried to put his foot on the brake, Peno hit the gas pedal.

With O’Grady partially inside the car and partially out, the driver’s side of Peno’s car struck the side of O’Grady’s cruiser, pinning him momentarily between the two cars and causing an injury to his leg and hip.

The other officer also suffered a minor injury while coming to the aid of O’Grady. The sergeant finally got his foot on the brake pedal to stop Peno’s car, but the sudden stopping of the car bumped the other officer.

Both officers were treated the same night at a local hospital.

Police recovered a bag from Peno’s car containing eight pills, six of them Xanax and the other two Soma.