Quincy woman accused of stealing three vehicles, including police car, pleads not guilty to multiple charges

QUINCY — A Quincy woman charged with stealing three vehicles, including a Quincy Police squad car, and led officers on a chase in excess of 100 miles per hour pled not guilty to multiple charges Wednesday in Adams County Circuit Court.

The case for Mercedes N. Patterson, 25, was placed on the April jury trial docket by Judge Scott Larson. She is set to return to court at 9:30 a.m. March 16. Her attorney is public defender Christopher Pratt.

Larson also granted a motion for a buccal swab to collect DNA from the cells on the inside of Patterson’s cheek.

Patterson faces seven counts in one case, which consist of theft over $10,000, unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle, criminal damage to state-supported property, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident with vehicle damage and two counts of criminal damage to property,

She also is charged with five counts in a second case — two counts of burglary, two counts of unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and aggravated fleeing to elude an officer.

Patterson allegedly stole a vehicle in Camp Point on Dec. 22, then eluded Adams County Sheriff’s deputies. According to police reports, she hit two parked cars while driving the wrong way on Quincy’s Third Street, which is one way. After wrecking the vehicle, she allegedly took the Quincy Police car.

She was arrested that afternoon when officers procured a search warrant and entered a residence at 209 Maple after a standoff that lasted nearly four hours.

Patterson continues to be held in the Adams County Jail on a $350,000 bond — $250,000 for the first case and $100,000 for the second.