Sahara Dula, 24, told investigators she struck the officer 'on purpose'
Driver plows into NYPD officer in Manhattan on purpose
A woman struck a NYPD officer with her car intentionally, saying, "F--- these cops, it's a lesson to him." (via X)
A woman drove into a New York City Police officer at a crime scene and admitted that it was intentional, saying, "F--- these cops, it's a lesson to him."
Sahara Dula, 24, was driving her black Lexus the wrong way on the Upper East Side on Wednesday while high on marijuana when she plowed into the officer, according to officials.
"I told the cop I wanted to go straight, and he wouldn't move, so I hit him. I did it on purpose," Dula later told investigators, court papers show.
"F--- these cops! He wouldn't move!" she screamed shortly after the incident, according to the documents.
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Sahara Dula, 24, was driving her black Lexus the wrong way on the Upper East Side on Wednesday while high on marijuana when she plowed into the officer. (X)
A source told the New York Post that Dula also said, "F--- these cops, it's a lesson to him, and hopefully he doesn't want to be a cop anymore."
Video footage of the incident shows Dula driving her vehicle the wrong way on Park Avenue near East 71st Street around 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday while officers were in the area investigating an unrelated robbery at a nearby clothing store and had closed off part of the road.
One officer is seen in the video walking up to Dula's car to tell her to move into the correct lane. But instead of stopping, she drives into the officer, causing him to roll up onto the hood of her car before falling onto the street.
Other officers then rushed to the wounded cop as he was lying on the ground in pain.
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Sahara Dula reportedly screamed "F--ck these cops" shortly after the incident. (X)
The wounded officer suffered a broken leg and bruising on multiple areas of his body, according to court papers.
Dula was taken into custody and charged with first-degree attempted assault, attempted aggravated assault upon a police officer, second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and operating a vehicle while ability impaired by drugs and reckless driving, the criminal complaint shows.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Lucy Shephard said during Dula's Friday arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court that she "admitted to smoking marijuana." Marijuana and rolling papers were found in her car.
Judge John Zhuo Wang set Dula's bail at $25,000, but she did not immediately make bail.
The wounded officer suffered a broken leg and bruising on multiple areas of his body. (X)
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry on Friday questioned why Dula is not facing an attempted murder charge.
"We’re glad that this individual is being kept in jail, but we don’t understand why she isn’t being charged with attempted murder," Hendry said in a statement. "This was a vicious attack. She intentionally tried to run over a New York City police officer. This leniency is why thousands of police officers are being assaulted and attacked on a daily basis."
Dula may have escaped an attempted murder charge because of questions about whether she intended to kill the cop, law-enforcement sources told the New York Post.
In court, Dula's lawyer said she runs her own company where she mentors kids on Saturdays and attempts to help them stay off the streets and away from drugs and gangs.
