HOT SPRINGS -- A female driver accused of chasing and ramming another vehicle occupied by two adults and five children was arrested Friday on multiple felony assault charges.
Quinisha Janay Bailey, 32, of Hot Springs was taken into custody shortly before 2:30 p.m. and charged with seven counts of aggravated assault, each punishable by up to six years in prison.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Hot Springs police officer Taylor Gates was dispatched shortly before 2 p.m. Friday to Tire Express at 635 E. Grand Ave., regarding reports of a disturbance involving two vehicles, including a white Chevrolet Impala, that were westbound in the 600 block of East Grand Avenue.
Officer Jamie Ugartechea spoke with the occupants of the Impala at Convention Boulevard and East Grand, and advised Gates that the second car, a white Nissan Altima, had pulled behind Tire Express, the affidavit states. Gates located the driver, identified as Bailey, who was "walking around her vehicle" and made several statements about ramming the other car, according to the affidavit.
Gates noted that there was damage to the front of Bailey's car, the front passenger side and the rear driver's side door.
The driver of the Impala told Ugartechea that the Altima rammed her vehicle, which contained her five children, ages 1, 2, 6, 8 and 16 at the time, the affidavit states.
She said the incident began on Autumn Street when Bailey began following them, according to the affidavit. The chase continued onto Convention Boulevard where Bailey rammed the back of the Impala and then onto East Grand, where Bailey struck the Impala's side door with the front passenger side of her vehicle, the affidavit says.
The adult passenger in the Impala gave the same account, as did a witness who was not in either of the vehicles, the affidavit says.
It was noted in the affidavit that the Impala had damage to the rear and on the driver's side consistent with the driver's account. The driver and her passenger said they wanted to file charges, so Bailey was taken into custody, according to reports.
According to court records, Bailey was previously convicted of felony counts of forgery and theft of property in Desha County on May 25, 2011, and was sentenced to two years in prison. She was arrested June 25 in Ouachita County on a felony charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. That case is pending in circuit court there.