Shawnee Co. woman arrested after attempt to steal truck, trailer full of horses

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - A woman is behind bars in Shawnee Co. after she attempted to steal a truck with a trailer full of horses attached as the owner was unloading them.

The Shawnee Co. Sheriff’s Office says Brianna M. Nowak, 35, has been arrested and booked into jail for multiple counts of theft after an incident late Saturday night, Sept. 17, in the 8100 block of SE California Ave.

Just before midnight on Saturday, deputies said they were called to the area to check the welfare of a woman who had attempted to flag down a man driving a trailer full of horses. The driver notified law enforcement and continued home, not stopping for the woman.

Once at his home, officials said the man had been in the middle of unloading his horses when the same woman he had seen on the road jumped in his truck and drove away with several horses still inside the attached trailer.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, the man was able to catch up to the woman and his truck nearby and notified law enforcement of their location. When deputies arrived, they arrested the woman, identified as Nowak.

The Sheriff’s Office noted that all horses were accounted for and none were harmed during the incident.

Nowak was booked into the Shawnee Co. Dept. of Corrections on theft from a motor vehicle, theft of a motor vehicle and theft of all other. She remains behind bars on a $10,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office indicated that the incident remains under investigation.