East Bay Woman Accused Of Stealing $17K In Sunglasses From Napa Store

AMERICAN CANYON, CA — An East Bay woman is accused of stealing more than $17,000 worth of sunglasses Tuesday from a Napa Outlets store.

Shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday, it is alleged the woman later identified as 21-year-old Pittsburg resident Melia Hughes, went into Sunglass Hut in Napa Outlets and stole approximately 40 pairs of sunglasses worth over $17,000 combined, according to the American Canyon Police Department.

Hughes was seen driving away from the store in a gray Infiniti.

American Canyon police officers soon spotted her car on southbound state Highway 29 and pulled Hughes over at SR-29 and Green Island Road. According to police, Hughes stopped her car and started to follow the officers' commands but then suddenly took off — leaving the officers standing outside their cars.

As she drove away, her car struck a guardrail and another car.

Hughes did not get very far because of the damage to a wheel on her car, so she jumped out of her car near Napa Junction Road and SR-29, police said.

As she tried to run away, she was caught by American Canyon police officers and detained.

Hughes was arrested on suspicion of evading a police officer, grand theft, assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest. She also had a felony warrant for larceny out of Contra Costa County.

No one was injured and the stolen sunglasses were recovered from her car, police said.

Hughes remained in custody Wednesday night in Napa County with her bail set at $80,000, jail records showed.