Stolen Pinal County maintenance truck pictured after it was abandoned near Russell Road.

FLORENCE, Ariz. – A stolen maintenance truck belonging to Pinal County has been recovered and one person in custody following a high speed pursuit Monday evening.

On 1-02-2012, at approximately 9:30 p.m., a PCSO deputy on patrol near Battaglia and Trekell Roads observed a white, 2008 GMC Sierra pickup truck swerving while westbound on Battagila.

A check of the vehicle’s plate came back stolen from Casa Grande and did not match the truck.

As the truck turned north onto Chui Chu Road, the deputy noticed dull white paint on the passenger door and back fender where decals appeared to be covered up.

The locations of the decals were consistent with the design on Pinal County Maintenance vehicles. Knowing two such county-owned trucks were stolen from the County yard in Casa Grande on 12-25-11, the deputy preceded to initiate a traffic stop.

Shortly after the vehicle turned westbound onto Shedd Road, the deputy turned on his emergency lights. The truck pulled away at a high rate of speed for about 100 yards before coming to an abrupt stop.

The deputy exited his patrol vehicle and approached the truck with his service weapon drawn. The deputy observed two females and one male inside the truck and repeatedly ordered them to exit the vehicle with hands in the air.

After roughly three minutes of continuous commands to exit by the deputy, the driver put the vehicle in drive and fled the scene westbound by diverting to a C.A.P. canal road parallel to Shedd Road at a high rate of speed.

Jessica Brown, 29

After a pursuing the vehicle for 15 minutes, the truck was located on Russell Road, south of Interstate 8, roughly 15 miles from the original traffic stop. The deputy was joined at the scene by another PCSO unit. Deputies observed the driver’s side door on the pickup was open and all occupants appeared to have fled the scene northeast into a canal.

Deputies tracked a trail of water from the opposite side of the canal where the suspects appeared to have exited and continued on foot. Minutes later, Jessica Brown, 29, of Casa Grande was found hiding in a remote desert area.

Deputies searched the wet contents of Brown’s purse and discovered a plastic bag with 25 grams of marijuana inside.

Brown told deputies she did not know the other two people in the vehicle or that the truck was stolen. Brown said she ran from deputies because she had a warrant out for her arrest. A search of the vehicle turned up various items and property belonging to the County.

Brown was booked into the PCSO Adult Detention center on one count of Vehicle Theft.

It should be noted one county truck from the 12-26-2011 burglary is still outstanding. It is a white, 2001 Chevrolet S14 pickup. Anyone with information on the thefts should contact PCSO at 520-866-5116.