Gwen Schoewe | Florida Woman August 1

Gwen Schoewe Passed Off Fake Check For $2,000; Tries Again At The Same Bank, Fails, Flees Police, Gets Arrested | August 1

Hadley, MA: Florida woman Gwen Schoewe who allegedly passed a fraudulent check valued at almost $2,000 at a Hadley bank Tuesday afternoon was arrested in Easthampton after a vehicle she was riding in crashed into a pickup.

The charges stem from an incident that began in Hadley at 3:05 p.m. in which Schoewe was in the drive-thru teller lane at Easthampton Savings Bank and successfully passed a bad check for $1,940.

Schoewe then attempted to pass a second fraudulent check of $1,400 at the same bank. She was denied by the teller and bank management then called police. She then fled in a vehicle.

After an alert was issued to other departments in the region, Easthampton Police encountered Schoewe and her vehicle on Pleasant Street in that city. But as detectives approached, she got into a black SUV with another person, which fled the scene at a high rate of speed while passing vehicles.

After a brief pursuit, the SUV crashed into a pickup at the intersection of Loudville Road and West Street. The driver attempted to flee on foot and engaged in a brief struggle with police officers.

The driver and Schoewe were both placed under arrest at the scene and transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. The driver of the pickup also required medical attention at a hospital for minor injuries.

Gwen Schoewe, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, was arrested and is facing charges of larceny by check over $1,200, identity fraud and attempting to commit a crime.