Witnesses: Driver Tried To Run Down Man on Foot at Shopping Center

Several people flagged down an officer on patrol Friday after a woman allegedly tried to run down a man on foot about 3 p.m. near Lowe's in a Merchants Square business complex.

The alleged victim, a 24-year-old Cartersville man, was trying to change a tire on the Ford Explorer that had crashed at Nationwide Finance, according to the Bartow County Sheriff's Office incident report, attached.

A deputy describing her as "very uncooperative," the driver, Trista Lashea James, 29, of Mountain Chase, said a steering problem had caused her to hit the curb. 

Witnesses, however, told a different story. They had seen the alleged victim standing outside the car, arguing with James, according to the report.

They said the man starting running, and James—with two children, ages 6 and 2, in the back seat—accelerated the Explorer in his direction, running up on a curb as he ran up the nearby steps. Her front tire blew as a result.

Another witness said after the crash, James was screaming profanities at the alleged victim. She allegedly told police "nothing happened, he was not hit with the vehicle and he was not hurt."

James was jailed on aggravated assault and two third-degree cruelty to children charges under the Family Violence Act. The children, unharmed, were released to their father.

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