Police vehicle hit by woman
Woman strikes car head-on; charged with DWI
HAMMONTON—A woman being pursued by different police departments from Chesilhurst, Hammonton and Winslow Twp. was eventually arrested and charged with driving while under the influence (DWI) and other charges at 11:19 p.m. on February 7 after her car U-turned and struck a Hammonton patrol vehicle that was not following her at the time, Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said.
Friel explained what happened on February 7 during an interview with The Gazette on February 14.
“Chesilhurst [Police] was attempting to make a motor vehicle stop with the subject refusing to stop. The subject drove into our community on Route 30 [White Horse Pike] changing directions with U-turns several times. The subject then left Hammonton for Winslow Twp. and then completed a U-turn and collided with one of our marked police vehicles that had not been pursuing her,” Friel said.
Friel explained that the police vehicle that was struck head-on had not been pursuing the other vehicle.
“Our vehicle was traveling that way with its overhead lights off because we had broken off pursuit. She turned around and hit our vehicle head-on, and continued traveling several hundred feet up the roadway until her vehicle was disabled,” Friel said.
The operator, Brishaia Brown, 27, of Lansdowne, Pa. was taken into custody, Friel said. During the encounter, she had sideswiped a non-police state vehicle, sideswiped a second Hammonton Police vehicle and had allegedly almost struck a person boarding a transit bus in Winslow Twp., Friel said.
While she was being taken into custody, Brown bit one of the Hammonton Police Officers, causing bodily injury and attempted to kick out the rear window of the patrol vehicle that was transporting her to police headquarters, Friel sai. She was also found to be a fugitive from justice in Pennsylvania, Friel said.
In addition, she was charged with the following criminal and motor vehicle charges: assault on police, assault by auto, resisting arrest, attempting to elude police, obstructing the administration of justice, driving while under the influence, fugitive from justice, failure to report an accident, failure to stop at an accident, failure to give proper signal, U-turn on a curve or grade, unsafe operation of a motor vehicle, delaying traffic, disregard of traffic control device, careless driving, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane of travel, Friel said.
Friel said she was transported for medical clearance and then transported to the Atlantic County Jail.
The investigating and arresting officer was Officer Travis Hoffman, Friel said.