A Waynesboro police officer has been charged with reckless driving in connection with a Jan. 18 crash between a police cruiser and 2003 Hyundai at the intersection of West Main Street and Arch Avenue.
Police have charged Officer Shamica R. Spears with reckless driving. A court date in Waynesboro District Court will be set.
In addition, police are doing an internal review of the incident that is ongoing, said Capt. Kelly Walker.
Walker said the review is being done by command staff to see whether "our policies were followed." He said it is "too early to tell'' about the internal review.
Walker said Spears remains on the job. "Reckless driving is a fairly common charge in collisions, and covers a wide array of driving actions that result in a crash,'' Walker said. "It (reckless driving) is not necessarily a factor in anyone's job status."
On Jan. 18, police said a patrol car was responding to a domestic assault at Mountain View Apartments involving an armed assailant.
The police car was traveling north on Arch when it hit the Hyundai broadside. The impact sent the Hyundai into the Waynesboro Visitor's Center at 301 West Main.
The driver of the Hyundai, Annette S. Powell, 71, of Crozet, was taken to Augusta Health for treatment Spears was also taken to the hospital. She was treated and released.
The domestic suspect was arrested a few hours later on two counts of brandishing a firearm and assault and battery on a family member.
The intersection of Arch and West Main was closed for almost three hours while Waynesboro police investigated the accident.
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