POMPANO BEACH, Fla. – An Orlando woman flashed a smile in her Broward County mugshot after her arrest Monday, but the allegations against her are serious: Deputies accuse her of committing a hit-and-run, forcing a good Samaritan and his truck into a gas station sign and trying to carjack the original victim’s vehicle with children inside.
Melisa Maria Parkinson, 46, is now facing three felony counts and a misdemeanor charge following her arrest in connection with the Pompano Beach incident.
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Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies said it began on Interstate 95 and ended at a Wawa.
Authorities said Parkinson first crashed into a woman’s Hyundai Sonata on I-95 near West Atlantic Boulevard. Deputies said she fled and the victim briefly followed Parkinson before the two came to a stop across from the Wawa at 1 Andrews Ave.
An arrest report states that when the victim’s boyfriend got out of the Sonata, Parkinson threw her car into reverse, almost hitting the Hyundai.
Deputies said a man then drove up “to offer assistance.”
Parkinson then turned her attention to the good Samaritan, placing her vehicle in drive and starting “to go after him,” the report states; deputies said he drove away in his Chevrolet Colorado and Parkinson followed.
Deputies said after the man had made a U-turn to drive toward the Wawa, Parkinson rear-ended his pickup “multiple times,” causing him to lose control and slam into the sign, leading to major damage.
The report states that the initial victim showed up at the Wawa and Parkinson returned her attention to the sedan.
According to BSO, Parkinson pulled on the door handles and eventually got in through the rear driver’s side door. Deputies said there were children in the car.
Authorities said the woman’s boyfriend was able to push Parkinson away to keep her from carjacking the vehicle.
Deputies would later arrive and arrest Parkinson on charges of carjacking, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felony criminal mischief and leaving the scene of a crash involving property damage.
As of Tuesday evening, she was being held in BSO’s North Broward Bureau jail facility on a $25,000 bond.