ROCK SPRINGS –– Two Colorado residents accused of stealing a car and leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase Tuesday were placed on $50,000 cash or surety bonds following their initial appearances in Sweetwater County Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon.

Kelvin Deshawn White, 18, of Aurora, Colorado, and Christina Mayel Weini, 21, of Denver, appeared before Circuit Court Judge John Prokos to have their bonds set and their preliminary hearings scheduled. The preliminary hearings were set for March 26, with White’s taking place at 2:30 p.m. and Weini’s set for 3 p.m.

Both face a felony charge of theft of an item greater than $1,000, which carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. White also faces misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance in a plant form, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude police officers, driving without a driver’s license, and driving too fast for conditions. Weini was charged with misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance in a plant form and interference with a peace officer.

Both defendants have criminal records according to the Sweetwater County Attorney’s Office. Sweetwater County Prosecuting and Deputy County Attorney Hillary McKinney told Prokos that while White does not have a felony conviction, he is on deferral probation for robbery in Colorado. She said Colorado has a similar program to Wyoming where first-time offenders have a chance to have their convictions removed from their record if they follow the conditions of their probation. When talking about Weini, McKinney shared her concern about Weini being a flight risk, saying she had been arrested for failing to appear in court three times and said she was on pretrial bond for robbery in Colorado. She requested the $50,000 cash or surety bond for both defendants, which was granted by Prokos.

The duo did not like the idea of being in a Wyoming jail. White asked if he could be transferred to the jail in Denver while Weini protested her bond, saying she is unemployed and could only manage an own-recognizance bond to get released from jail. While speaking with White, Prokos said a judge can’t order a person to be held in a different state from where a case is pending. Speaking with Weini, he encouraged her to talk with her public defender to petition for a different bond.

The Alleged Incident

According to charging documents, Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Gines was parked in the median of Interstate 80 in Carbon County, near mile marker 210 Tuesday when a black car was first spotted allegedly driving at a high rate of speed. A second WHP trooper, Trooper Martinez, told Gines he saw a black Hyundai Elantra sedan traveling on the westbound lanes near mile marker 215, measuring the vehicle’s speed at 104 mph. Shortly after the message from Martinez, Gines saw the sedan and used his radar to measure its speed at 94 mph in a 75-mph zone. He also saw Martinez’s patrol vehicle behind the sedan as Martinez attempted to catch up to it.

Both Martinez and Gines attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the sedan and at about 12:29 p.m. the driver, later identified as White, allegedly sped up to reach speeds exceeding 100 mph. The vehicles entered Sweetwater County, with the Elantra allegedly reaching speeds of more than 120 mph. The vehicle allegedly sped along exit ramps and past stop signs. It also allegedly drove on the shoulder to pass vehicles. After a third trooper joined the pursuit, the weather began to worsen, and the troopers decided to slow down due to the conditions, with the sedan continuing to drive away at high speeds.

At 1:01 p.m. WHP dispatchers received a call about the sedan sliding off the road and into the median at about near mile marker 151, roughly 20 miles east of Point of Rocks. Martinez and Gines arrived at the scene and allegedly observed White and Weini begin to run south of the eastbound lanes. The troopers issued vocal commands to the duo, and they stopped running. They were then arrested and placed into the WHP patrol vehicles. Gines approached the sedan and could allegedly smell the scent of raw marijuana coming from the vehicle. A cigar packet was found allegedly containing raw marijuana.

Gines noted the ignition compartment of the vehicle had been torn apart, with the ignition insert being accessible. Court documents state Gines’ training and knowledge led him to view it as a common tactic used to steal vehicles. The vehicle allegedly had a USB port shoved into it to turn the ignition and start the vehicle.

White and Weini were taken to the Sweetwater County Detention Center and the two gave their names to law enforcement. An NCIC return allegedly showed neither had a driver’s license issued to them. Court documents claim White admitted to stealing the vehicle from East Colfax Street in Denver March 18, saying he and Weini were traveling to California with it. An NCIC search of the vehicle’s VIN revealed it had been reported stolen to the Denver Police Department.