A 52-year-old woman who led police on a short chase through the southeast metro during the early portion of Wednesday's morning rush hour before crashing her vehicle is now in custody.

Police attempted to stop Gwen Peltier, of Stillwater, for several traffic violations at I-494 and Hwy. 61 around 6:15 a.m. Peltier failed to stop and fled westbound on I-494, the State Patrol said.

Police placed stop sticks on westbound I-494 in Mendota Heights. Peltier hit the sticks, which deflated two tires. The vehicle came to rest in the right lane at Delaware Avenue where Peltier was arrested, said Lt. Tiffani Nielson.

The incident caused a four-mile back up that stretched back to Hwy. 61 and had traffic knotted up for nearly 45 minutes.

West St. Paul police assisted in the pursuit.