September 05 , 2004
Mother of shooting suspect charged
Lisa Bentley arrested in high-speed chase, still in Pa. with her son

09/05/2004
The mother of a 17-year-old Magnolia boy wanted in the shooting death of
a romantic rival was charged Saturday as the driver who led police on an
80-mile, high-speed chase through western Pennsylvania the day before
with her son and two other teens in the vehicle.
Pennsylvania State Police charged Lisa Bentley, 35, with hindering
apprehension, reckless endangering and fleeing and eluding police. Her
17-year-old son, Jordan Bentley, was charged with being a fugitive from
justice, reckless endangering and fleeing and eluding police.
Jordan Bentley is wanted in Delaware on first-degree murder in the
Wednesday shooting of Joseph L. "Lucky" Cox, 18. He also faces weapons
charges.
The mother and son remained in the custody of Pennsylvania authorities
Saturday. Two teens captured with the pair were back in Delaware on
Saturday, said Cpl. Jeff Oldham, state police spokesman.
Jordan Bentley's former girlfriend, Tina Creed, 17, and his cousin,
Roland Pyle, 15, were interviewed by homicide detectives and sent home,
Oldham said.
"No charges have been filed against them at this time," Oldham said.
The victim's sister, 26-year-old Kimberly Cox, and cousin Amber
Allaband, 18, said Saturday they were shocked to learn the suspect's
mother was driving.
"We were very disappointed that his mom was the driver," Allaband said.
"How could a mother do that to another mother's child?"
Al Cox, the victim's uncle, said he witnessed Bentley shoot Joseph Cox
after asking whether the boy had given a ring to Creed. Joseph Cox
answered yes, saying he gave her his ring because he liked her. Police
said Joseph Cox was shot with a .32-caliber handgun.
Creed was sitting in a waiting car when the shooting occurred in the
Southwood Acres mobile home park near Magnolia, Al Cox said. Oldham said
he did not know why Creed was in the car.
Friday's police chase took place not far from Pittsburgh. Jordan
Bentley, his mother, Creed and Pyle were spotted in a light-brown Sierra
GMC pickup traveling west on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, near Stoneycreek
Township in Somerset County, by a Pennsylvania state trooper.
When the trooper tried to stop them, Lisa Bentley sped up, police said.
At times the pickup went off the shoulder of the road, and, at one
point, police said, the mother and son switched seats during the chase.
Officers said the chase, which reached speeds of more than 105 mph,
ended west of Pittsburgh, near Warrendale, when police flattened the
pickup's tires with spike strips.
The vehicles of several pursuing state and local police, as well as
those of some motorists, struck the devices before they could be pulled
off the road, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The newspaper reported that police said it appeared the four had stopped
to get something to eat shortly before they were spotted because
troopers found a bag containing two hamburgers and cold french fries
inside the pickup.
Pennsylvania officials said at least one person in the truck brandished
a weapon at the trooper during the chase, which lasted about an hour.
Oldham said Delaware authorities are working to have the mother and son
extradited.
The victim's family said a memorial service is planned for Joseph Cox
from 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 12 at the Little Creek Fire Hall.
"It's open to the public and to everyone who loved him," Allaband said.