WESTLAKE, Ohio — The woman who admitted to striking four pedestrians in three separate incidents was charged with felonious assault Friday, according to the Westlake Police Department.
Shayla Harris, 24, appeared in Rocky River Municipal Court via video from the Westlake Jail where she was being held after police learned she was involved in a string of hit-skip incidents involving pedestrians in Westlake and Bay Village.
Harris' charges stem from a hit-skip in Westlake on April 4 in which she drove over the curb and onto the sidewalk before striking a 22-year-old woman who was checking her mail and fleeing the scene. The woman lost consciousness but was able to walk to her house, call for help and was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.
The charges also include a hit-skip three days later, on April 7, in which Harris struck a 25-year-old pedestrian and a 21-year-old pedestrian who were walking a dog. Both sustained serious injuries. The dog was uninjured, police said.
After police identified her vehicle, Harris claimed the damage was caused by a deer, but later confessed to the two hit-skip incidents in Westlake and an additional hit-skip in Bay Village.
In the Bay Village hit-skip, which occurred on April 1, Harris allegedly struck a man in his 50s while he was walking his dog. He was transported to a nearby hospital with serious injuries. The dog was not seriously injured, police said.
Westlake Police Captain Jerry Vogel said Harris claimed the hit-skip incidents were "alcohol induced."
After waiving her preliminary hearing, Harris was bound over to the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury.
Harris was charged with felonious assault for the hit-skips, police said.
Harris’ bond was set at $250,000 for the Westlake cases and $250,000 for the Bay Village cases.
The court also ordered Harris have no contact with any of the victims and her license was suspended pending further court action, police said.
Harris was transported to the Cuyahoga County Jail Friday afternoon.
