Sistah Creates Havoc With Her Car, Injures 35
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WASHINGTON — A station wagon carrying a 7-year-old child left misery and destruction Saturday night in the city's Anacostia neighborhood during Unifest, an annual event sponsored by a church.
Tonya Bell, 30, of Oxon Hill, Md., was charged with aggravated assault while armed as she rode through several blocks at a crowded street festival in a predominantly Black community. Police had to throw their motorcycles in front of the car just to get it to stop before folks literally had to pull the woman out the car.
Other charges, including child endangerment, driving under the influence, and felonious reckless driving will likely be added. If the child in the car belongs to Bell, expect the courts to take custody away from her.
Witnesses said strollers were flung into the air and one person was trapped beneath the car's wheels during the terrifying chaos. In all, 35 people were struck, seven severely. The injured included two children under age 3 and two police officers who drove their motor scooters into the driver's path in an attempt to stop her, authorities said.
Alan Etter, a spokesman for the District of Columbia fire department, said authorities believe Bell was going about 70 mph driving erratically when she tore through the festival.
Many at the scene described a period of mayhem in which Tonya Bell started off slowly through some closed streets before finally pressing the accelerator on the avenue, hitting a stage with choir singers performing and people dancing.
David White said Bell grew up in the neighborhood and saw her Saturday morning, driving erratically and clipping parked cars. He said when he confronted the African-American female, she acted like she didn't know him.
"I said, 'Tonya, what are you doing?' She was sweating like a race horse. We tried our best to stop her. ... She was just in a deranged state of mind," White said.
One question, did folks contact police that morning to alert them to this situation? Because if they were trying to keep this on the hush-hush, they should bear some responsibility for what happened.
COURT'S ADJOURNED!