Mercersburg woman charged with attempted homicide after running man off the road, cops say
Carley BonkA Mercersburg woman is in jail today following an incident Friday in which she allegedly tried to run a man's car off the road.
Christina Aiken, 41, has been charged with attempted homicide, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment and criminal mischief, according to court documents.
Pennsylvania State Police were dispatched at 6 p.m. Friday to McDowell Road, Peters Township, for a motor vehicle crash.
Through investigation, it was determined that a man, who police have not named, had been driving to work when he drove his car by Aiken, who was traveling in the opposite direction. She turned her car around and followed him, ramming the victim’s vehicle multiple times, causing a tire to blow out, police reported. The victim lost control and crashed in a ditch.
The two are married and have been living together for about two years, police said.
More:State lawmakers seek to impeach Quincy Township official charged with fraud, theft
More:Convicted killer in Florida confesses to murdering six people in Pennsylvania in the late 1970s
The man told police that during the alleged vehicle assault, Aiken was also armed with a small, silver semi-automatic pistol.
Police located Aiken's vehicle, which displayed damage consistent with the victim’s account of events and the damage to his vehicle.
Through investigation, it was determined that the defendant was at her residence with her children. After a brief standoff at the home, Aiken was taken into custody.
She was put in Franklin County Jail, and her bail has been denied due to the nature of the charges.
Aiken is scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Jody Eyer for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 10.
Carley Bonk is a Watchdog Reporter for the USA Today Network - Pennsylvania. Her coverage spans across the southcentral region of Pennsylvania. She can be reached at cbonk@publicopinionnews.com or on Twitter at @carls_marie.