Drug and alcohol can cause people to do things and engage in risky behavior that they aren’t likely to do when they’re sober. The use of crack cocaine may have been what caused a woman to ram her vehicle into two Phoenix Police Department cruisers and three officers earlier this month.
AZ Central reported that on Tuesday, June 4th, Lou Ann Relf was at a Quick, Trip convenience store located on Baseline Road in Phoenix when she allegedly accelerated and rammed her Kia Soul into the officers and their vehicles.
Relf told officers at the scene she was attempting to get the attention of police since two other passengers who were also in the vehicle with her at the time were holding her against her will.
Two of the three Phoenix Police officers were injured in the incident. One suffered a possible broken nose while the other had a gash to his forehead. They are both expected to be ok.
Surveillance video obtained by police investigators from the convenience store shows Relf walking into the business where one of the male passengers purchased a drink for Relf while she goes into the store’s restroom.
Video also shows the man going in and out of the C-store several times and yelling at Relf through the door of the restroom. Relf leaves the store with the man. Additional surveillance video footage from Quick Trip shows Relf speeding in the C-Store parking lot before colliding with the police cruisers.
Officers questioned Relf at the scene where she admitted that she had been smoking crack cocaine before the accident. One of the men in the car also said that the three had been smoking crack over the two days and just before the incident.
Relf Is now facing six counts of aggravated assault and other related charges. She was due to appear in Court on Friday, June 14th.
No further information is available at this time.
