FOREST ACRES, S.C. — A mother and four children are being evaluated at a local hospital after a police chase in Forest Acres.
According to a press release from the Forest Acres Police department (FAPD), a little after 6pm police received a call about a shoplifting happening at the Trenholm Plaza. Police say at least two businesses in the plaza were targeted.
Officers identified the mother as a suspect based on eye witnesses accounts say the release.
An FAPD officer turned on his blue lights and attempted the traffic stop on the black Honda Pilot while it was still inside the shopping center but the suspect refused to stop and exited onto Forest Drive.
The suspect, identified by FAPD as 37-year-old Ashely Nicole Baker, attempted to run from police and continued to drive away on Forest and other side streets before turning onto South Trenholm Road.
FAPD continued to try stop the fleeing Baker with lights and sirens activated.
Baker’s car struck the FAPD patrol car on the side and she lost control of her vehicle and flipped over a brick barrier into a nearby yard. The car landed on its hood, just feet from the resident’s front door along the 4100 block of S Trenholm Road.
At that point, Baker emerged from the vehicle with minor injuries and was apprehended.
Four children were also found to be inside the car. The children were aged 13 and under.
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The children were all responsive at the scene and were transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. At the time of the accident, all injuries appear to be non-life threatening.
As of midday Wednesday, the four children had been released from the hospital.
“It is miraculous these four children walked away from this accident,” says FAPD Chief Don Robinson. “Incidents like these also endanger our officer’s lives. Rest assured we will be looking at potential charges that uphold the fullest extent of the law.”
The pursuit and accident remain under investigation. The FAPD officer was not injured in the accident but his patrol car was damaged. Because a FAPD officer and vehicle were involved, the South Carolina Highway Patrol has been called in to review the accident as standard operating procedure for FAPD in order to ensure impartiality and transparency.
Baker was later transported from the scene to a nearby hospital to also be evaluated. She remains in custody at the hospital and multiple charges are pending.