Some people run from their problems. Toscha Fay Sponsler took that idea literally—leading police on a chase after slipping out of handcuffs and stealing their car, no less. After a shoplifting arrest in 2017, Sponsler’s Houdini-like handcuff escape and reckless chase landed her a nightmare of a court trial. If you thought your worst day was bad, wait until you hear how this one ends.

It all started with shoplifting. Sponsler, 33, was caught swiping goods from an Ulta Beauty store in Lufkin, Texas. Police showed up, cuffed her, and put her in the back of a patrol car. She should’ve stayed put—but she didn’t.

Instead, Sponsler shimmied out of her handcuffs. A move the Law&Crime Network narrator later described as a “Vegas-level magic trick.” But instead of stopping there, she squeezed through the tiny window separating the back seat from the front.

Still cuffed, she climbed into the driver’s seat. Officers were just steps away. Sponsler looked around, stayed calm, and took off. She didn’t just steal merchandise—she stole the entire police car.

Handcuffed suspect steals police car and leads officers on a wild chase

As police scrambled to follow, Sponsler floored it, weaving through traffic with lights flashing and sirens blaring. At one point, she almost hit a row of spike strips. But the real kicker? Mid-chase, officers saw her trying to free a shotgun locked inside the vehicle.

The chase ended with a dramatic spin-out after officers finally forced her off the road. Sponsler was pulled from the car and arrested—again. The footage of her stealing a police car went viral, racking up over a million views. But this story was just getting started.

As Prosecutor Sandra Martin told the jury, “No one is excluded from obeying the law.” But Sponsler seemed determined to test that theory. She rejected a plea deal that would’ve let her off with 16 years behind bars. Judge Bob Inselmann warned, “No ifs, ands or buts, it’s 25 years.” Sponsler rolled the dice anyway.

It didn’t pay off. After hearing about her escape, high-speed chase, and attempts to grab the shotgun, the jury took just hours to convict. She got 45 years in prison for the crime spree that including stealing the police car.

Martin reminded jurors, “We’ve got to tell our law enforcement people can’t run from the police in our county.” Sponsler’s actions may have made her an internet sensation, but the sentence made one thing clear.

For Toscha Fay Sponsler, a split-second decision to steal a police car and flee turned into a life-altering mistake. Her high-speed antics may have entertained millions online, but the judge and jury didn’t find them funny. With 45 years behind bars, Sponsler’s story serves as a wild reminder that crime doesn’t pay—even when it’s caught on camera. See Sponsler’s escape attempt in the video embedded below: