Driver Accused Of Intentionally Hitting Pedestrians In Westlake

WESTLAKE, OH — A 24-year-old Cleveland woman has been accused of intentionally hitting four people and two dogs with her car. Westlake police said the animals and persons hit by the vehicle are OK.

On April 4, at 9:40 p.m., police were called to Caroline Circle after a 22-year-old woman was hit by a sedan. The woman told police she was collecting her mail when the car drove over the curb, onto the sidewalk and hit her.

The woman lost consciousness after being hit, but was later able to walk home and call for help. The sedan did not stop and drove off into the night. The 22-year-old was taken to the hospital for treatment. Officers searched the area but could not find the car.

Then, on April 7, at 9:15 p.m., police received a 911 call from a pedestrian on Cahoon Road. The pedestrian said she and her friend, along with their dog, had been hit by a car while they were walking on the sidewalk.

Both of the injured walkers suffered serious injuries, a police spokesperson said. They described the car that hit them as a black sedan. Westlake firefighters and police officers helped the walkers with their injuries.

Officers searched the area and found a damaged black sedan near Dover Road. The driver, a 24-year-old Cleveland woman, said she had hit a deer on April 6 and had not yet had her car repaired.

Police detained the woman and had her car towed.

On April 8, detectives interviewed the driver. She admitted to hitting the three Westlake residents and told police she had also hit a man walking his dog in Bay Village on April 1, a Westlake police spokesperson said.

The woman is currently incarcerated at Westlake jail. Bay Village police are working with Westlake officers to collect evidence and record statements. Felony charges will likely be filed against the woman on Friday.