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Star News TV
Jennifer Michelle Bowles, 37, a former vice mayor of Martinsville, Virginia, is facing 15 criminal charges following a bizarre incident Wednesday night, October 14, at a Home Depot parking lot along Highway 9 Bypass West in Lancaster, South Carolina.
According to police reports described in published coverage, Bowles allegedly drove her vehicle into multiple parked cars, leaving behind a trail of damaged vehicles and prompting a significant police response.
Officers arriving at the scene reportedly discovered several damaged vehicles before taking Bowles into custody.
But the story doesn't end with the police report.
A HOME DEPOT EMPLOYEE SPEAKS OUT
Steven Zessin, who identified himself as a Home Depot employee, shared a firsthand account of the damage to his vehicle in comments on the STAR NEWS Facebook page.
Zessin said his vehicle was among those struck during the incident.
According to Zessin, a coworker who reportedly witnessed the incident told him the driver initially pulled into a parking space and struck another vehicle.
Rather than stopping, the driver allegedly backed up and struck the vehicle again before hitting another.
Zessin further claimed that a man, woman and child began recording the incident and were subsequently chased by the driver, who allegedly struck numerous additional vehicles.
He estimated that approximately 11 other vehicles were struck during the incident, with some reportedly hit multiple times.
"Mine she hit 3 or 4 times," Zessin wrote.
He also claimed that the positioning of his vehicle may have prevented the driver from continuing toward the Home Depot building, where he said two elderly people were nearby.
That account has not been independently verified by STAR NEWS or confirmed in the police information available.
Zessin also alleged that Bowles appeared to be laughing while seated in the back of a police vehicle following the incident. That claim has not been independently confirmed.
He expressed concern about the financial aftermath, saying affected vehicle owners may have to file claims through their own insurance companies.
15 CHARGES FILED
According to Lancaster County Detention Center booking information, Bowles was booked into custody Thursday, October 15, at approximately 3:21 a.m.
The 15 charges listed against her include:
Multiple counts of malicious injury to real property.
Multiple counts of malicious injury to personal property.
Two counts of assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature.
One count of assault of a high and aggravated nature.
One count of disorderly conduct.
The booking record lists a total bond amount of $0 but does not clarify her bond eligibility or release status.
QUESTIONS REMAIN
Investigators have not publicly established a motive for the incident in the information available.
The extent of the damage, the exact number of vehicles involved, and whether anyone suffered injuries have not been independently confirmed.
Lancaster police continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
For Bowles, who previously held a leadership position in Martinsville city government, the allegations represent a dramatic turn from public office to a South Carolina criminal case.
And for the vehicle owners who happened to be parked at Home Depot that evening, a routine shopping trip reportedly became an unexpected visit to the body shop.
Bowles is presumed innocent of all charges unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
STAR NEWS will continue following the investigation and any additional developments.
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