Woman arrested on charge she hit officer with car in Hallowell after getting angry over Ironman 70.3 Maine traffic jam

CentralMaine.com ^ | 7/31/2023 | Jessica Lowell

[simpson96]

HALLOWELL — A Belmont woman was arrested on a variety of charges Sunday after police say she struck an officer with her vehicle because she was frustrated with a traffic jam caused by a triathlon.

Christopher Giles, interim Hallowell police chief , said Hallowell police officers had stopped vehicle traffic on Water Street across from Academy Street to allow a group of Ironman 70.3 runners to cross Water Street, when a woman who was driving south became irate at the delay.

“She was commanded by an officer to stop because of a potential safety hazard to several runners,” Giles said. “She briefly stopped, had an exchange with the officer where she refused to comply with those commands and drove her vehicle at the officer, striking the officer in the leg.”

Katherine D. Kelley, 34, of Belmont, was arrested on charges of failing to follow emergency directions of a police officer, driving to endanger, felony assault on a police officer and failing to follow a traffic control device.

The officer, whom Giles declined to identify, sought medical treatment for a minor injury.

During the race, one lane had been coned off for Ironman 70.3 competitors to complete the final running leg of the competition, and two lanes were coned off for traffic, one in each direction.

[simpson96]

Sounds like she was in a hurry to get somewhere. Hope it was worth it.

[mikey_hates_everything]

Women may be getting there but unfortunately, they haven't yet caught up to men in that respect.

[xxqqzz]

I am surprised. There aren’t that many black people in Maine. Seems like something they would do.