Officials say a van crashed near Lake Sacajawea Tuesday afternoon as a woman clung to the open driver's door of the moving vehicle.
Longview police reported Wednesday morning that the driver of the van, Latasha Monk, 41, was arrested for suspicion of vehicular assault, reckless endangerment, felony eluding and resisting arrest.
Officers were dispatched at about 2:20 p.m. Tuesday to Sunset Village at 140 Morse Park Way, near Roy Morse Park, over a child custody dispute, according to a department notice.
The woman reportedly tried to prevent Monk from leaving with a child by staying in the van’s doorway, but Monk sped off, dragging the woman.
Several people reported to 911 that they saw a woman hanging to the outside of an erratically moving minivan headed towards Ocean Beach Highway, the report continues.
Police estimate Monk was driving up to 70 mph, and first located her on Industrial Way near Washington Way.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, which had the child inside, but police say Monk continued to flee.
The pursuit ended after the minivan’s open door struck a parked car, crushing the woman holding on, near the intersection of 24th Avenue and Nichols Boulevard by Lake Sacajawea Park.
The woman fell off the van, and Monk fled on foot, but was apprehended by officers after she went into a home about two blocks southwest toward Beech Street, the report states.
Police report the child was unharmed.
