A Louisville woman is in custody in Evansville, Indiana, after an unusual incident where she allegedly tried to enter several cars in a parking lot and offered a surprising explanation for her actions. The woman, 28-year-old Ricki Smith, claimed that Kanye West was speaking to her “telegraphically” and told her to take a car.
Police responded to reports of a suspicious person in a parking lot in the 200 block of North Main Street on Friday morning. According to witnesses, Smith was seen attempting to open car doors at random. One witness said she got into an unlocked vehicle and sat in the driver’s seat. When he asked her to leave, she reportedly moved on to another car.
Things escalated when Smith allegedly got into another woman’s car as she was heading into a nearby store. The car’s owner had left her vehicle unlocked and noticed Smith getting inside just as she walked away. With her child still in the backseat, she quickly returned to the car. A bystander tried to pull Smith out, but she reportedly held onto the gear shifter. The car owner then pulled Smith out by the hair.
The woman told police she wanted to press charges because of the potential risk to her child.
When officers questioned Smith about the incident, she explained that she was traveling from Louisville to Evansville when her car broke down. She said she hitchhiked part of the way and ended up at the parking lot. However, she also claimed that Kanye West had been communicating with her “telegraphically” and instructed her to take the vehicle.
Smith was arrested and taken to the Vanderburgh County Jail. Officers later learned that Smith’s vehicle had been found crashed into a tree line off Highway 64, which could explain why she abandoned it and continued on foot.
Smith faces charges related to her actions in the parking lot, and the investigation is ongoing as authorities work to gather more information.
