With child in vehicle, SC woman tries to hit person during domestic disturbance, cops say
A South Carolina woman was recently arrested on multiple charges after she was involved in a domestic disturbance, hit a patrol vehicle and led law enforcement officers on a chase, all while a child was involved, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.
Imani Kierra Stephens, a 23-year-old Wedgefield resident, was charged with child endangerment, assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature, failure to stop for a blue light, resisting arrest, uninsured motorist and operating an unregistered vehicle, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
The charges stem from an Aug. 17 incident, according to the release.
At about 1 a.m., deputies responded to a report about a domestic disturbance near U.S. 378 and S.C. 261, the sheriff’s office said. Information about what led to the domestic disturbance was not available.
As one deputy approached they saw a vehicle make a quick right turn toward the guardrail and a victim who was on foot run away from the front of the vehicle, according to the release. Stephens was later identified as the driver, and a child also was inside the vehicle, the sheriff’s office said.
The victim saw the deputy and ran to them asking for help, saying Stephens was trying to hit them with their vehicle, according to the release.
Stephens then drove the vehicle to the front of the deputy’s patrol car and got out before being told by the deputy to get back inside the vehicle and wait, the sheriff’s office said.
After Stephens returned to the vehicle, she tried to turn around and hit the deputy’s patrol car before driving away, according to the release.
Another responding deputy saw Stephens driving away and followed, then tried to make a traffic stop, the sheriff’s office said. Stephens ignored the patrol vehicle that had its blue lights on, and didn’t stop until she drove to a nearby home, according to the release.
Stephens took the child from the vehicle and ran to another residence, and when the deputy approached she went inside and locked the door behind her, the sheriff’s office said. When additional deputies located Stephens, she gave the child to a resident and resisted arrest before being taken into custody, according to the release.
No injuries were reported.
Stephens was taken to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center where she was booked on the charges, according to the release. Stephens bond was set at $50,000, according to the release. She’s scheduled to return to court on Sept. 10, Sumter County judicial records show.
“We are greatly relieved that neither the child nor the victim was injured, and the suspect has been arrested,” Sheriff Anthony Dennis said in the release. “Such reckless disregard for life — especially when a little one is present — is unthinkable.”
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This story was originally published August 20, 2024 at 8:25 AM with the headline "With child in vehicle, SC woman tries to hit person during domestic disturbance, cops say."
