Report: Woman evades police, causes collision with 3-year-old son in car
PHOTO: Hollister Police Department
A San Benito County woman has been arrested after a chaotic night that reportedly ended with her leading police on a chase and causing a multi-vehicle collision while her 3-year-old son was in the car, according to a press release.
Hollister Police responded to the 2400 block of Fairhaven Court just after 9 PM on Sunday, April 13, to investigate a report of a woman armed with a knife and fighting with members of her family.
The woman, identified as 22-year-old Natalia Gartman, was leaving the scene with her 3-year-old son just as the first officer arrived. Though the officer tried to block her in, she drove around him and sped off down Valley View Road, initiating a pursuit.
The pursuit came to abrupt end, however, when Gartman crashed her vehicle into a parked truck on the 2200 block of Valley View Road, the force of which caused that truck to collide with the truck behind it.
The officer quickly made contact with Gartman, who’d sustained numerous injuries, and found the child on the front passenger seat floor. He’d apparently been put in the front seat rather than a child seat, which was located in the rear of the car.
Gartman was hospitalized for treatment while the child was treated for minor injuries and placed into the care of his grandmother.
In connection to the incident, Gartman stands to face charges of brandishing a knife, driving while under the influence, evading police, and felony child endangerment.
