Hillsborough Woman Charged With Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer

A Hillsborough woman was charged with aggravated assault and other violations after allegedly striking a township police officer with her vehicle Sunday night, police said.

According to a release from Hillsborough Township Police, Linda Chester, 34, allegedly drove through traffic cones and road flares officers set up at the intersection of Dukes Parkway East and Taylor Avenue to prevent vehicle traffic while a utility pole fire was being extinguished Sunday at about 5:15 p.m.

A Hillsborough Police officer in full uniform in a marked patrol car was blocking the intersection as well, the release said.

The officer approached the driver's window of Chester's white Toyota, and advised her that she could not proceed down the road.

The officer requested her driver's license, since she had committed a motor vehicle infraction by proceeding down the closed road, police said. Chester allegedly became argumentative with the officer, began swearing and refused to provide her driver's license, police said.

The officer then ordered Chester to exit her vehicle, according to the release.  In response, Chester allegedly put her vehicle in drive and continued to swear at the officer. She executed a "K" turn and allegedly struck the officer and a railroad tie on private property with her vehicle before fleeing the scene, police said.

The officer was uninjured and was able to obtain Chester's car registration number. She surrendered at Hillsborough Police Headquarters on South Branch Road later that evening and was charged with fourth-degree aggravated assault, third-degree eluding law enforcement, obstruction of justice, driving on a closed road, failing to exhibit documents, performing an improper U-turn, disregard of traffic control by an officer, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident.

She was released after posting 10 percent of $15,000 bail.