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Woman lucky to be alive after being rammed by erratic driver who was later arrested in Penticton

Victoria Elise wants the 38-year-old suspect to know she almost took a mom from her children
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A 38-year-old woman was arrested Saturday morning near Cherry Lane mall after allegedly dumping a Honda SUV in some bushes halfway into the TD Bank drive-thru and ramming a vehicle on Highway 97 in a hit-and-run. (Terry Vandament Facebook)

A Summerland mom is injured but alive after her SUV was totalled by the same suspected female driver arrested 15 minutes later near a Penticton mall on Saturday.

Around 10:15 a.m. Victoria Elise was driving along Highway 97 towards Penticton when a speeding green SUV hit her vehicle from behind, sending her truck smashing into the cement barrier.

“She tried going between me and the centre median which sent me head on with the right hand side barrier,” said Elise. “I was in a large SUV which probably saved my life.”

Elise hit her head on the window and has other injuries from the crash. Her vehicle is being written off.

The driver kept going after the hit-and-run where she is alleged to have carried on driving erratically through Penticton, sending vehicles up on curbs on Government Street and speeding through a construction zone on Main Street.

One woman said she saw the same vehicle almost hit two cars and then drive up on the sidewalk to get around other cars, as well as run a red light.

READ MORE: Woman driving erratically dumps stolen car and taken down on foot

A green Honda SUV was dumped in the bushes halfway into the TD Bank drive thru at the Superstore mall. The female driver who allegedly had multi-coloured hair was taken down by Penticton RCMP a few minutes later. Witnesses said she was resisting arrest.

Police told Elise that the driver who hit her stole the SUV from a home in Summerland.

Elise said she is so grateful her children weren’t with her at the time of the crash.

“I want her know how close she was to taking a mom from her children,” said Elise.

Penticton RCMP confirm that a 38-year-old woman was arrested for driving erratically. Penticton RCMP will be seeking approval for charges of dangerous operation of vehicle and impaired operation of vehicle, said BC RCMP in an email on Sunday.

Penticton police will be recommending further charges as well and more information about that will be released on Monday.

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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