A Dunnellon man and woman were arrested Sunday after police said they stole more than $150 worth of clothing from Wal-Mart and resisted arrest.
Mikhail Christopher McKenzie, 27, and Lorraine Gardner, 20, entered the Wal-Mart in Butler North, located at 2900 SW 42nd St., at about 1 p.m. and began packing clothes into bags, according to a Gainesville Police arrest report.
McKenzie placed eight clothing items, totaling $91, into his Wal-Mart shopping bags, and Gardner placed six, totaling $67.72, into her reusable shopping bag, according to the report. McKenzie left the store with the bags without paying and walked out to his car.
Gardner tried to leave the store with her bags but was stopped by Wal-Mart employee Brent Chewning, according to the report. Gardner pushed Chewning out of the way and ran from the location, dropping her stolen items.
McKenzie tried driving away when he made eye contact with a patrol officer. He then drove across Southwest 42nd Street into the parking lot of Jersey Mike’s Subs, according to the report.
The officer drove after McKenzie and yelled for him to stop and said, “You’re only going to add more charges,” according to the report. McKenzie stopped after turning back from a dead end and running a stop sign inside the lot.
Once police arrested Gardner, she began kicking the patrol car door, dealing about $1,000 in damages, according to the report.
McKenzie faces charges of petit theft, driving with a suspended license and fleeing arrest. Gardner faces charges of petit theft and criminal mischief.
As of Monday evening, both remain in the Alachua County Jail, each in lieu of a $15,000 bond.
Contact David Hoffman at dhoffman@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter: @hoffdavid123.
Mikhail Christopher McKenzie, 27
Lorraine Gardner, 20.
