A north St. Louis argument allegedly spilled out of a liquor store and into a gunfire chase, leaving a man wounded and a woman facing multiple felony charges. Prosecutors say the accused shooter was firing as the man ran for his vehicle.
Whitlee Jolliff is charged with first-degree assault resulting in serious physical injury, armed criminal action and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, according to FOX 2. The case began with an argument involving Jolliff’s friend and the woman’s boyfriend inside a north St. Louis liquor store.
Surveillance video reportedly showed the man yelling at his girlfriend before throwing a cup containing an unknown liquid at her. Authorities allege Jolliff then pulled a handgun from her purse, pointed it at the man as he ran toward his vehicle and fired multiple rounds.
The man was later found suffering from a gunshot wound in a grassy area west of Euclid Avenue. Police located the man’s 2013 GMC Terrain with a flat tire near Natural Bridge and Shreve avenues, while the victim’s girlfriend reportedly followed Jolliff in a Chevrolet Traverse, as detailed by FOX 2.
The victim told investigators that his girlfriend shot him in the back after the argument, while prosecutors allege Jolliff was the person who fired the weapon. Police recognized Jolliff and the victim’s girlfriend from the surveillance footage and later took Jolliff into custody.
The victim’s girlfriend consented to a search of her vehicle, where police found a pistol. A firearms examiner reportedly determined that cartridge casings recovered from the scene matched the pistol, while Jolliff allegedly told investigators she had gotten rid of the gun.
Jolliff is scheduled to appear in court next Monday, and a preliminary hearing is set for September 2. The extent of the victim’s injuries has not been disclosed.
What The Charges Could Mean Under Missouri Law
The armed criminal action charge is tied to the allegation that a felony was committed with a firearm. Under Missouri law, a conviction can bring additional prison time that runs consecutively to the sentence for the underlying felony.
The tampering charge concerns the allegation that Jolliff got into and operated the victim’s vehicle without permission. Missouri’s first-degree tampering statute covers knowingly possessing or operating another person’s motor vehicle without consent. The charges are allegations, and Jolliff is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove them in court.
