Sioux Falls woman evades arrest for stolen vehicle, causes thousands in garden center damages

A 40-year-old Sioux Falls woman was arrested Tuesday evening, according to Minnehaha County court documents.

The woman, Leslie Ruth Epling, is charged with intentional damage to property, aggravated assault and receiving/transferring possession of a stolen vehicle after attempting to evade law officials by driving through an outdoor garden center area.

The Minnehaha County Warrant Task Force arranged to meet with Epling at Lewis Drug on 10th Street and Cliff Avenue around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday evening. Epling and another associated vehicle parked adjacent to the outdoor Lewis Lawn & Garden tent where the Warrant Task Force was able to block both vehicles in.

According to the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office during Thursday's police briefing, Epling then attempted to drive through the garden center tent, causing approximately $4,000-$5,000 worth of damage. No one was injured during this incident.

Epling was arrested and charged with intentional damage to property between $2,500 and $5,000, aggravated eluding and receiving/transferring possession of a stolen vehicle, according to Minnehaha County court documents.

More: Sioux Falls man arrested for assault, then found with stolen gun, police say

The Minnehaha County victim met with Epling on Monday to sell the car to her, according to the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Epling wrote a check for the car, and the keys and title were then exchanged.

When the victim tried to cash Epling’s check afterward, it was discovered that the account for that check was closed. The check, according to the MCSO, was actually for a business that had closed two years ago.

Minnehaha County officials began working on the case the following morning and discovered three cases listing Epling as a possible suspect in the City of Sioux Falls and one in the City of Brandon, according to Thursday’s police briefing.

After working with the victim in this case, as well as in similar cases, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office was able to conclude that Epling was selling vehicles on Facebook Marketplace.

After Epling purchased the vehicles, authorities believe she would then block the individuals she purchased the car from so they couldn’t contact her.

The MSCO also said during Thursday’s police briefing that Epling was also charged with grand theft by deception and three outstanding narcotic-related warrants. Her preliminary hearing is at 10:30 a.m. June 21.

The three other individuals parked next to Epling were involved in several of the deception cases, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Another Sioux Falls man, Jonathan Allen Voigt, age 46, was arrested for several unrelated, warranted charges in Minnehaha County.

Rapid City woman Stephanie Lynn Grover, age 35, was on parole at the time and was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia.

Sioux Falls woman Nicole Alisha Kritz, age 50, was arrested for two outstanding warrants.

The Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office believes both Voigt and Grover are currently in custody.

Detectives working with the Sioux Falls Police Department were able to recover one other additional car that was reported on Monday. The Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to work on this case.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls woman arrested damages garden center with stolen vehicle