Court: Woman denies attempt to strike store clerk with vehicle

A woman accused of trying to strike a store clerk with a vehicle in late January at the Corner Cupboard Food Mart denied the accusation Friday morning in Columbus Recorder’s Court.

Lawanda Chisholm, 44, of East Point, Ga. pleaded not guilty to an aggravated assault charge stemming from the Jan. 24 incident that happened around 2:05 p.m. without injuries. She was ordered held in the Muscogee County Jail without bond.

Columbus Police Sgt. Anthony Locey said authorities were called to the business at 3475 Victory Drive to investigate the incident and spoke with the victim upon arrival.

The clerk told police that he saw Chisholm in the back of the store and recognized her as someone who had scammed the store in the past. He said he followed her out of the building, took a photo of her getting into her Kia Optima and took a picture of her tag before heading back into the store.

“As he was walking back to the store, she backed up, revved her engine and thrust forward toward him,” Locey testified. “He had to physically jump out the way to avoid being struck by her vehicle.”

A witness who was outside of the business at the time confirmed the victim’s account of the attack, police noted.

Chisholm told the court she never attempted to strike the clerk, just tried to leave the parking lot.

Judge Michael Cielinski case was bound over to Superior Court.

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Court: Woman denies attempt to strike store clerk with vehicle."