Woman Tries To Run Over 5 Joliet Police, 4 Citizens: Cops

JOLIET, IL — In the same year in which two people have been charged with first-degree murder in connection with using their vehicles to kill people in Joliet, Tierra Rodgers is now in custody after Joliet police say she tried to run over five officers and four residents.

The incident happened late Sunday night in the 200 block of Division Street. This week, Rodgers, 31, remains in the Will County Jail and the Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow has filed nine felony charges of aggravated assault against Rodgers, who lives in the 300 block of North Broadway Street.

According to police spokesman Dwayne English, the following events led to Rodgers' arrest:

Around 11:40 p.m., officers handling an unrelated service call on Division saw a Ford Explorer make a turn from North Broadway Street to Division and the driver accelerated toward the five police officers and four Joliet residents standing near a car on the side of the street.

"Officers used their flashlights in an attempt to slow the vehicle, however, the vehicle continued at them at a high rate of speed and the officers and citizens had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck by the vehicle," English said.

Officers stopped the Ford Explorer in the 300 block of Hickory Street and took Rodgers into custody without any problems, according to police.

Inside the Ford Explorer, Joliet police found a total of four $100 counterfeit bills, English noted.

Rodgers was also cited for driving too fast for conditions, driving while license suspended, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle and her vehicle was towed from the scene, police reports indicate.

Bail for Rodgers was set at $20,000, and she remained in the county jail on Wednesday, unable to post the necessary 10 percent to regain her freedom.