Driver accused of attempting to mow down cop during street takeover strolls free hours later on $3K bond

A North Carolina woman accused of striking a police officer with her car during a street takeover was released on a $3,000 bond just hours after her arrest — a decision law enforcement leaders say sends a troubling message.

Tanaezah Michelle Austin, 25, faces a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon on a government official in connection with the early Sunday morning incident in northwest Charlotte.

According to an arrest affidavit, officers responded around 3:25 a.m. to reports of vehicles doing donuts in a commercial parking lot. When officers attempted to break up what police described as a street takeover, one officer approached a black Kia Optima that was attempting to leave.

The affidavit states the driver initially stopped as the officer walked in front of the vehicle. But as he moved toward the driver’s side, the driver “began to accelerate rapidly” and struck him, causing him to roll over the hood.

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Police say the officer was in full uniform and giving verbal commands to stop before he was hit, and was standing directly in front of the vehicle where he “could be clearly seen by the driver.”

The officer was transported to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.

Viral posts show the altercation, with some asking, “What is happening in Charlotte?”

Court records show Austin was arrested March 2 and released later that day after posting a $3,000 secured bond. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for March 24.

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The bond amount has sparked outrage among law enforcement leaders.

“These are among the worst of the worst incidents that we have to deal with in Charlotte,” said Dan Redford, president of the Charlotte Fraternal Order of Police. “To see a $3,000 bond for an offender, regardless of whether she has a criminal history or not, when the intent to flee was clearly there, is pathetic.”

Redford said the suspect fled the scene and was later located by officers. He added that decisions like this can impact officer morale.

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“It’s very frustrating,” Redford said. “There are laws on the books that are supposed to protect law enforcement officers from these heinous attacks. When officers see this treated like just another incident, it makes them question whether they’re truly supported — especially by members of the criminal justice system.”

Randy Sutton, a retired police lieutenant and founder of The Wounded Blue, an organization that advocates for injured law enforcement officers, said the bond decision reflects broader systemic concerns.

“When I hear about someone being released on a $3,000 bond for running over a police officer on video, it boggles my mind,” Sutton said. “In reality, that means she may have only had to put up about $300. She ran over a cop, and she walked out.”

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Sutton described street takeovers as “mob situations” that can quickly turn deadly.

“This wasn’t an accident,” he said. “She saw him, he was communicating with her, and then she just gunned the car toward him. This could have been a fatal encounter.”

He added that using a vehicle to strike an officer constitutes deadly force.

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“If you try to run over a police officer, they have every justification to use deadly force to protect themselves,” Sutton said.

U.S. Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., also criticized the bond decision.

“Running over a police officer is of the highest level of evil,” Harris said in a statement. “It’s also a complete slap in the face for our brave law enforcement to see these kinds of criminals allowed right back on the streets. When is Charlotte going to end the crime cycle? When are magistrates going to keep bad guys behind bars? Enough is enough!”

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Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley also weighed in, blaming what he described as soft-on-crime policies in Charlotte and across the state.

Whatley said those policies threaten law enforcement officers and public safety, arguing that criminals belong behind bars and pledging to continue backing law enforcement.

The Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the case, citing North Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct that prohibit prosecutors from making out-of-court statements on pending cases.

Court records show Austin previously faced misdemeanor marijuana and paraphernalia charges in 2025. Those charges were later dismissed.

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