Moundville Woman Charged After Allegedly Hitting Race Runner with Car

A Moundville woman has been charged with felony assault after she allegedly struck a runner participating in a half marathon in Tuscaloosa with her vehicle.

According to court documents obtained by the Thread Wednesday, the driver was Katherine Townsend, a 65-year-old Moundville woman.

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Townsend was allegedly driving on Bryant Drive near the Hotel Capstone on March 26th when she encountered a group of runners participating in the Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports Half Marathon.

Investigators said Townsend "ignored all cues to get in the other lane from the marathon runners," and even stopped her car to talk to some of the race participants before driving towards the group again.

Two police officers reportedly gave Townsend orders to get back in the correct lane and avoid the group, but she drove on a struck a 75-year-old woman participating in the race.

The victim reportedly suffered a broken ankle and other minor injuries in the incident.

The deposition does not specify if Townsend stopped after hitting the runner or why her arrest came more than a month after the alleged incident, but court records indicate she was jailed this Tuesday and charged with one count of second-degree assault, a Class C felony in Alabama.

She has since been released on a $2,500 bond.