Police ID woman who attempted murder on two officers

WALPOLE, Mass. — Update: Police identified the woman driving as Kelli Pittenger, 50, of Canton. She was arraigned in Wrentham Court and released on her own recognizance, according to police.

Pittenger was charged with failure to stop, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (car) and attempted murder.

Original: Police say the Good Samaritan in a pickup truck stopped a woman who just committed attempted murder on two officers.

“Several officers approached that vehicle from the front basically pleading to the operator to stop and just stay put and as they were approaching the vehicle just suddenly, the operator hit the accelerator and almost struck two officers,” said Walpole Police Chief John Carmichael. “One of the officers was still somewhat in front of the vehicle, and he almost got hit.”

“They were holding her, telling her to stop and she just drove right into them and they jumped out of the way,” said a witness named Tim. “They were standing in front of her telling her to stop and she drove forward. And they had to get out of the way. It was, for me, clear she was trying to run them over.”

Seconds later her Honda sedan crashed into this pickup truck.

“The whole front was off through the bottom of the bumper,” said witness Marianne Stanton.

That’s how the story ended.

“A truck coming up the hill, a regular citizen had pulled in front of her, and stopped her,” said Tim. “Unfortunately, she hit his truck and wrecked his new pickup truck. They were lucky that he was there to stop her.”

The story began with a routine stop after police got several calls saying the woman was driving erratic near Walpole High School. Police chased her for a few blocks as she went past at least one red light and at one point got out to yell profanity toward them. She eventually came to a stop on Mike Moore’s lawn and driveway.

“I just thought it was a car accident. I didn’t know what happened until we just saw you on the news,” said Moore.

Moore says he didn’t hear a thing, but in front of his home, attempted murder as police surrounded her car on foot. Police say she tried to run over them and they jumped out of the way unharmed.

It was the Good Samaritan purposefully getting in her way that stopped the chase.

“It’s definitely not something that we would ever recommend for people to do, but sometimes we have citizens out there that see things taking place and it’s just a reaction for some people,” said Carmichael. “He wasn’t trying to hurt anybody or anything like that, but I think he saw that there was a substantial threat to public safety.”

Police found alcohol bottles in her car and say she was in an altered mental state.

“She was barefoot in the middle of winter,” said Tim. “I don’t know. She obviously had some sort of issues. I hope she takes care of them.”

Polices say the Good Samaritan is not facing any charges and will have to file his own insurance claim.

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