Wood River Woman Charged After High-Speed Police Chase In Stolen Vehicle
Stop sticks deployed, tire dislodged before local woman jumps into Mississippi River in her latest attempt to flee police.
WOOD RIVER – A Wood River woman accused of leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle and jumping into the Mississippi River faces felony charges in her latest case of fleeing police.
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Elizabeth A. Scarborough, 24, of Wood River, was charged on Aug. 15, 2025 with a Class 2 felony count of offenses related to motor vehicles and a Class 3 felony count of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer.
On July 22, 2025, Scarborough allegedly possessed a knowingly stolen 2008 Nissan Titan bearing an Illinois registration number and fled from a police officer signaling her to stop at more than 21 miles per hour above the area’s legal speed limit.
The state’s petition to deny Scarborough’s pretrial release from custody states that on July 22, 2025, an Alton Police sergeant and Madison County Sheriff's deputy initiated a traffic stop on a 2008 Nissan Titan that was traveling on Homer Adams Parkway at 90 mph in a 45 mph zone. The vehicle had been reported stolen by its owner the day prior on July 21, 2025.
Stop sticks were deployed at the intersection of Homer Adams and Buckmaster Road, deflating the truck’s front passenger tire. Scarborough continued driving the vehicle onto Alton Square Mall Drive before heading south on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, then continuing past E. 20th Street, where the tire dislodged from the vehicle.
“The Nissan motor vehicle ultimately came to stop in the parking lot of Argosy Casino,” the petition states. “The driver, Elizabeth Scarborough, the defendant, exited the vehicle and fled toward the Mississippi River.
“Defendant jumped into the river and began swimming away from the riverbank. Upon police command to return to the bank, defendant returned to land, and law enforcement took her into custody.”
This was reportedly not Scarborough’s first time fleeing from local police, as the petition states her “actions in this case parallel her actions in [a 2023 felony case], wherein she fled from East Alton police.”
“Leading police on a high-speed pursuit shows a blatant disregard for the safety of other motorists,” the petition adds. “Furthermore, defendant is on probation.”
Scarborough’s latest case was presented by the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force on behalf of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. She was ordered remanded to jail for her initial appearance in court.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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