A 61-year-old woman who allegedly fled from Ocala police, leading to an officer-involved shooting outside an Ocala diner, has been arrested.
On Sunday, September 22, Belleview resident Linda Parker Vaughn was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where she is currently being held without bond. She is facing multiple felony charges in connection with an incident that occurred earlier that morning.
According to Ocala police, at around 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, two OPD officers were in a single patrol vehicle when they responded to a report of a suspicious person who had been seen at First Assembly of God Christian School located at 1827 NE 14th Street in Ocala.
Upon arrival, the officers observed a woman, later identified as Vaughn, who was standing near a red Ford SUV. As the officers approached her, she allegedly entered the vehicle before fleeing from the area.
OPD stated that Vaughn “drove away erratically” and nearly struck another vehicle.
While traveling at high speeds she allegedly ran multiple red lights and swerved into oncoming traffic lanes.
When Vaughn’s SUV reached the intersection of NE 25th Avenue and NE 14th Street, the officers observed her vehicle nearly hit a pedestrian who was walking in the crosswalk. OPD stated that Vaughn “intentionally tried to strike (the) pedestrian.”
At around 8:25 a.m., Vaughn entered the parking lot of Darrell’s Diner (5125 E Silver Springs Boulevard), and the pursuing officers stopped behind her vehicle in an attempt to take her into custody.
According to police, Vaughn “rammed the officer’s vehicle multiple times, nearly striking (them).” In response, the officers fired their service weapons at Vaughn’s SUV, and she “sped away” towards the rear of the parking lot.
Moments later, the SUV struck a fence. Vaughn then allegedly turned the vehicle around before driving back towards the officers, who “engaged the vehicle with gunfire for a second time.”
The vehicle pursuit came to an end when the SUV crashed into another vehicle that was parked next to the officers. Additional officers soon arrived on scene, including a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy, and Vaughn was taken into custody without further incident, according to OPD.
Vaughn was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. She was not struck by the gunfire, and no officers were injured during the incident.
After being read her Miranda rights, Vaughn allegedly admitted to “snorting an unknown narcotic” at around midnight, and she added that she “took twice the amount of her prescribed medicine.”
OPD stated that during the post-Miranda interview, Vaughn claimed that she had traveled to the church to “meet a friend.” She allegedly told investigators that the officers who made contact with her at the church were “evil,” and she worried that they would “kill her for an unknown reason.”
Vaughn is being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a law enforcement officer (two counts), aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, and resisting with violence.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
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Source: ocala-news
