A 25-year-old Charlotte woman is facing felony charges after Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say she struck an officer with her car during a street takeover.
Mecklenburg County court documents identify the driver as Tanaezah Michelle Austin, who is charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon on a government officer.
CMPD officers responded around 3:25 a.m. on Sunday, March 1, to multiple 911 calls outside the Harris Teeter at 4701 Smith Farm Road reporting vehicles doing donuts in the grocery store parking lot. Officers arriving on scene described a street takeover and began clearing the lot.
According to court papers, an officer approached a black Kia Optima driven by Austin as it attempted to leave. Investigators say Austin initially stopped, then accelerated while the officer was walking in front of the car toward the driver’s side, striking him and causing him to roll over the hood. The officer was in full uniform and issuing verbal commands; documents state he was directly in front of the vehicle and visible to Austin before being hit.
Despite the collision, the officer radioed the Kia’s license plate as the vehicle left the scene, allowing authorities to identify Austin. The officer was transported to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Austin was booked into the Mecklenburg County jail on March 2 and posted a $3,000 bond, being released just before 3 a.m. on March 3, according to court records.