Photo: Celeste Virga
The state is seeking the revocation of a $10,000 bond for a Mountain Home woman who skipped out on her trial in early February.
Thirty-one-year-old Celeste Virga faced charges of entering a home, taking the keys to a vehicle and leaving in it.
A representative of the bonding company said they were tracking Virga in another state and needed additional time to find her. Circuit Judge John Putman approved the request and ordered the company to reappear to report to the court Aug. 20.
According to the probable cause affidavit in the case, a man called the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office in mid-August last year and reported he was following his stolen 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe and gave information as to his location.
A Baxter County deputy sheriff spotted the vehicle being driven at a high rate of speed on U.S. Highway 62B and gave chase.
The driver, later identified as Virga, would not stop and began passing other vehicles using the middle turn lanes of the highway.
The pursuit continued, until Virga turned into a dead end street. The SUV eventually ran into a stop sign and then into the yard of a residence where it came to a stop.
Virga was reported to have bolted from the vehicle and fled.
The deputy pursued her and after a short distance, she stopped, put her hands up and surrendered.
According to court records, she is reported to have told the deputy she did not stop because she was in possession of a stolen car.
During her initial interview at the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, Virga said she had been using a vape pen containing THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana, just prior to the pursuit.
Virga is alleged to have said she found the vehicle unoccupied and took it.
During one court appearance, Virga claimed she had had a stroke at some point during the incident and could not remember details of the events leading to her arrest.
Virga’s charges include fleeing, residential burglary and theft of property related to the alleged entry into the victim’s home to obtain the keys to the vehicle she was accused of stealing.
In addition, a number of traffic violations were filed, including driving while intoxicated.
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