LINN — Lauren Lansford, 35, of Linn, was allegedly was clocked at 99 miles per hour on Hwy. 50, and after being stopped, was taken into custody and charged on June 20  with exceeding the posted speed limit by 26 MPH or more.

She also faces charges for possession of a controlled substance, possession of an item at a jail that a prisoner is prohibited from receiving, , driving without insurance, consumption of an alcoholic beverage while driving, and failure to display license plates.

Lansford has a long criminal history, and these acts were committed while serving probation. Despite this arrest and a June 27 guilty plea in Cole County to one felony and two misdemeanors, her probation does not appear to have yet been revoked; however, a probation violation was filed on June 20.

Capt. Travis Shaffer noted in his probable cause statement that he was performing traffic enforcement on U.S. 50 near Wolf Ridge Drive when he saw a white Nissan Frontier with no front license plate and substantial front-end damage traveling 99 miles per hour in a 65 MPH zone. Before the vehicle reached Shaffer’s position, he turned on his lights and siren; however, the vehicle did not slow down.

Shaffer pulled on to the highway and the vehicle passed him and slowed to 70, but did not pull over. When the vehicle finally stopped, the driver was identified as Lansford by her driver’s license, but she failed to provide proof of insurance.

“I asked Lansford why she was traveling so fast, to which she stared at me with a blank expression,” Shaffer wrote in his PC statement. “I asked her several more times, to which she continued to stare, before smiling. She finally responded, saying that ‘You know how you just get in a zone.’”

Lansford got out of the car, and Shaffer escorted her to the front of Deputy Eric Snook’s vehicle. Shaffer saw Lansford pulling and adjusting her pants in the groin area, so he asked her if she had anything concealed on or in her person. Lansford said she did not.

Deputy Andrew Koon arrived, and he and Shaffer searched the vehicle. A clear plastic baggie containing four grams of suspected methamphetamine was found behind the center console, in the cup-holder compartment area. A plastic cup in the center cup-holder contained a liquid that smelled like an intoxicant.

Shaffer asked Lansford what was in the cup, and she replied that it was beer, and admitted to drinking “a few sips” while driving. Lansford agreed to breath test, which showed no presence of alcohol.

Lansford was placed under arrest and advised that anything found concealed on or in her person would result in an additional charge. Lansford was asked multiple times if she had any hidden items. After repeatedly refusing to answer, she stated that she did not. 

Koon later told Shaffer that, after entering the jail, Lansford was found to have had a concealed glass smoking device in her possession.

She was released on $40,000 bond on June 20 and is scheduled to appear for a bond hearing on July 16 at 10 a.m.

While out on bond for the Osage County charges, she pleaded guilty on June 27 in Cole County to charges of resisting arrest, reckless driving involving an accident, and DWI. For these offenses, she was sentenced to five days in jail with credit for time served, along with two years unsupervised probation, and community service. Lansford must also complete Substance Abuse Traffic Offenders Program and Victim’s Impact Panel.

Other convictions

• In December 2022, Lansford pleaded guilty to two counts of possession and one count of resisting arrest for a 2021 incident in Cole County. She was sentenced to five, five, and four years, respectively on these charges (SES), with five years supervised probation.

• In October 2021, Lansford pleaded guilty to in Osage County to possession of an item at a jail that a prisoner is prohibited from receiving, and was sentenced to 10 days in jail.

• In 2016, Lansford pleaded guilty to second-degree property damage and resisting arrest, in Osage County, and was sentenced to concurrent 10-day jail sentences, with credit for time served.

• In 2009, Lansford pleaded guilty to resisting arrest in Osage County, and was sentenced to two years probation, revoked in January 2010, after which she served two days in jail.