A woman accused of purposefully crashing into a man’s vehicle, causing his vehicle to roll and eject him, in Onalaska on Monday is facing one count of second-degree assault, domestic violence.
The charge is a class B felony carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
Lana Keffer, 42, of Onalaska, reportedly told Lewis County Sheriff’s Office personnel who responded to the rollover crash at approximately 3:09 p.m. on Sept. 1 that “she did a ‘PIT maneuver’ on the vehicle (the victim) was driving,” according to court documents.
A PIT maneuver, which stands for “precision immobilization technique,” is a pursuit tactic used by law enforcement to stop a fleeing vehicle by forcing it to abruptly turn 180 degrees.
After being hit, the victim reportedly “sped away before he rolled the vehicle he was operating over and was ejected,” according to court documents.”
The victim was reportedly out of Department of Corrections custody on a work release program at the time of the incident.
Keffer allegedly said “she felt responsible for him and could not let him leave,” according to court documents.
She was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail just before 7 p.m. on Sept. 1, according to jail records. She was formally charged in Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Bail is set at $50,000.
“The main concern here is that there was an automobile used as a deadly weapon in an assault, at least that’s what the allegations are,” Judge Joely Yeager said during Keffer’s preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 12.
A no-contact order protecting the victim is in place.
