By Joe Johnson
A car driven by an Athens woman and occupied by three young children was struck by gunfire this week as it travelled on an eastside roadway, according to an Athens-Clarke police report.
The 31-year-old Berlin Street woman said told police she was driving home at about 1 a.m. Sunday after picking up a bicycle from a family member. Her children, ages 1 and nine, and a 7-year-old niece were passengers, according to the report.
When at the intersection of Indian Hills Road and Olympic Drive, the woman noticed a black Honda sedan in front of her and a dark-colored SUV and two cars behind her, according to the report.
The Honda turned toward Trail Creek Street, while the SUV continued to follow the woman on Olympic Drive, according to the report.
Upon reaching Trail Creek Street, the woman said the Honda made a U-turn, going back up Olympic Drive, while the SUV continued to follow, according to the report, which noted that at a stop sign on Trail Creek Street someone in the SUV shot at her car four times.
One bullet came through the back window and passed over the children’s heads before exiting through the windshield, according to the police report.
The woman said she sped home and did not notice where the SUV went.
She told police that the Honda that made a U-turn in front of her car just before the shooting was occupied by two black females, but did not see who was in the SUV.
The woman said she acquired her car a few weeks ago and is its only driver. She told police that she did not know anyone who would want to harm her.
When police inspected the woman’s car they found a bullet hole in the rear hatch, according to the report.
An unspent shotgun shell was located behind the back seat, and the report indicated the woman said that she did not own any firearms and did not know how the shotgun shell got there.