DARTMOUTH - A New Bedford woman, high on drugs, is under arrest after hitting a police officer with her car while trying to flee the scene of a welfare check.

Dartmouth Police say at 8:30 P.M. Wednesday, police responded to Jones Park for a report of a suspicious vehicle. When officers arrived at the scene, they observed a female slumped over the wheel of a blue 1998 Nissan Sentra.

As one of the officers opened the driver-side door to check the woman’s condition, the woman became alert and immediately placed the vehicle in reverse and accelerated. The police officer became trapped between the door and the car, and was thrown to the ground as the vehicle backed up and sped away.

The vehicle was soon located in Dartmouth, with police attempting to conduct a motor vehicle stop. The woman refused to stop for police, and fled into New Bedford where she crashed her car on Route 18 near Union Street.

Dartmouth Police arrested the woman, 33-year-old Alanna Baylies of New Bedford, and charged her with assault and battery on a police officer, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, failure to stop for police, leaving the scene of a crash resulting in personal injury, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, failure to stop/yield, and resisting arrest.

A search of her car and her person revealed Baylies was in possession of drug paraphernalia. The findings, as well as statements Baylies made to police, resulted in her being additionally charged with operating under the influence of drugs.

Following her arrest, Baylies was transported to St. Luke’s Hospital for evaluation.

The Dartmouth Police Officer that was struck by Baylies’ car was transported to Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River where he was treated for an upper body injury. He has since been released.

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