BALTIMORE (AP) - A woman in Maryland is disputing an account by police that she crashed her Honda into a police vehicle and veered toward a detective. The incident had prompted police to fire at the woman’s car as she sped away.
The Baltimore Sun reported Thursday that the woman turned herself into police and offered a starkly different account to the newspaper about what happened.
Police had said that Tiara Kianna Baker, 22, was suspected for theft. But she and her attorney, Tony Garcia, told The Sun that Baltimore County detectives had never identified themselves while approaching her car with guns drawn.
Garcia said that Baker was “afraid for her life” because she is eight months pregnant, and went into “panic mode.” He also denied that Baker aimed her car at detectives. Police bullets grazed her right arm and the top of her ear, Garcia added.
Baltimore County police had said that detectives were investigating Baker for theft and saw her walking out of a Baltimore hotel. Police said they turned their signals on and announced they were making an arrest.
Baltimore County Police spokesperson Vickie Warehime added that the word “POLICE” was on the outer vest of officers and they identified themselves.
“The suspect ignored the commands and drove towards a detective. The suspect should have complied with those commands given by police,” Warehime said.
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