A burglary investigation at Woolsey Auto Sales on January 5 led Mountain View police to identify a suspect connected to a break‑in, a stolen vehicle, and a pursuit spanning two cities.
Deputies were called to the business around 8:26 a.m. after an employee discovered a broken window and signs of forced entry. A 2017 Ford Escape—later confirmed stolen from Car Mart in West Plains—was found abandoned on the lot with its keys inside. Employees also reported that a maroon 2009 GMC Yukon was missing, along with the keys normally kept in the office. The Yukon was entered as stolen shortly afterward.
Security footage from January 4 showed a heavy‑built white female with light hair in a bun using a meat tenderizer mallet to break a window and enter the business. The woman searched drawers, attempted to access the cash register, and left with vehicle keys before driving away in a white SUV matching the abandoned Ford Escape.
Later that afternoon, GPS data placed the stolen Escape at the Anchor Convenience Store in Mountain View. Surveillance video showed a woman matching the burglary suspect entering the store while attempting to avoid security cameras.
Around 2:50 p.m., an officer located a red GMC Yukon matching the stolen vehicle behind the Mountain View Police Department. When the driver backed out and left without plates displayed, the officer attempted a traffic stop. The driver refused to pull over, leading officers on a pursuit through city streets and onto State Route Y. The vehicle eventually failed to make a turn, struck a fence post, and continued briefly before stopping on County Road 3450. The driver exited and was taken into custody without further incident.
The suspect was identified as Amanda Counts, who had been listed as a missing person and whose driver’s license was revoked. A search of the Yukon revealed a damaged meat tenderizer mallet with embedded glass and a dark zip‑up jacket similar to the one worn by the burglary suspect.
Counts was advised of her Miranda rights multiple times. During interviews, she gave conflicting explanations about how she obtained the vehicle before ultimately admitting she used the mallet to break into Woolsey Auto, stole the Yukon, and had earlier taken the Ford Escape from Car Mart. She also acknowledged seeing the patrol car’s lights and siren and fleeing to avoid being stopped.
Counts stated she acted alone during the incidents. Charges include Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, Stealing a Motor Vehicle, Burglary and Resisting Arrest. She is held at the Howell County Jail with bond set at $25,000.
