A Centralia woman accused of intentionally crashing her car into a vehicle occupied by her boyfriend and his 12-year-old granddaughter on July 17 has been arrested and charged in Lewis County Superior Court.
The crash was reported as a hit-and-run at the intersection of Harrison and Belmont avenues in Centralia at approximately 11:56 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17, according to court documents.
Witnesses reported seeing the driver of a black Nissan SUV disobey a red light, enter the intersection and stop in the middle of the intersection. A white 2001 Isuzu Trooper that had a green light reportedly tried to go around the Nissan, at which point the Nissan allegedly performed a U-turn, collided with the side of the Isuzu and fled the scene eastbound on Harrison Avenue toward Interstate 5, according to court documents.
One witness commented that “it looked to be a deliberate act,” according to court documents. Another witness reported seeing both the Nissan and the Isuzu parked in a nearby business parking lot before the crash, and seeing a man and a woman arguing in the parking lot before the man left in the Isuzu and the woman got into the Nissan.
Centralia Police Department officers who responded to the crash on July 17 found the Isuzu parked in front of a nearby business with a flat driver’s side rear tire and “significant damage” to the driver’s side rear quarter panel, according to court documents.
When questioned, the driver of the Isuzu reportedly identified the driver of the Nissan as his girlfriend, Kristy Ann Price, 44. He told officers that he and Price had gotten into an argument in a business parking lot that ended with him leaving with his granddaughter in the Isuzu.
He reportedly left the parking lot and was headed eastbound on Harrison Avenue when Price allegedly stopped in front of him in the Belmont Avenue intersection “in an attempt to prevent him from leaving the area,” according to court documents. When he attempted to go around her, Price allegedly drove the Nissan, according to court documents.
The 12-year-old passenger of the Isuzu reported chest pain from impacting the arm rest during the crash.
The Nissan’s front plate was reportedly left behind at the scene of the crash. A search of the license plate found that the vehicle was registered to Price, according to court documents.
Officers were unable to locate Price until Saturday, July 20, at which time she was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail.
Jail records indicate she was booked at 3:48 a.m. on July 20. She allegedly had “a small bindle of suspected methamphetamine” in her bra when she was searched during the booking process, according to court documents.
On Monday, July 22, Price was charged with one count each of attempted second-degree assault, domestic violence; attempted second-degree assault; possession of a controlled substance while in a county or local correctional facility; and hit-and-run to an attended vehicle.
Bail is set at $25,000.
While the driver of the Isuzu informed the court Monday that he no longer wanted to press charges or have a protection order against Price, Commissioner Paul Strophy found probable cause to pursue the case and opted to issue a no-contact order prohibiting Price from having any contact with the victims and witnesses in this case.
Strophy cited concerns about maintaining the integrity of the case as reason for the order.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, July 25.
