APPLETON (NBC 26) — A 21-year-old Little Chute woman pleaded not guilty to multiple felony charges including running over an Appleton police officer during a November incident in a church parking lot, according to court records.
Katrina R. Kitzman faces seven charges stemming from the November 15 incident at St. Joseph Parish parking lot, including first-degree recklessly endangering safety, battery to a law enforcement officer, and operating while intoxicated causing injury.
According to a criminal complaint, officers responded to a disturbance around 2:40 a.m. where multiple people were arguing near Kitzman's red PT Cruiser in the parking lot at West Lawrence Street and South Walnut Street.
Officers reported that Kitzman sped toward a group of people in the parking lot, forcing several to dive out of the way. When officers commanded her to stop, she accelerated toward them, striking Officer Charles Allen with the front of her vehicle and running over his legs with both front and rear tires.
Allen was knocked to the ground and suffered injuries to both legs and feet. He was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital for treatment and experienced radiating pain in his ankles, feet and lower legs.
After striking the officer, Kitzman fled the scene at high speed without headlights, running a red light and driving through grass areas and over railroad tracks before being stopped by police using a "boxing in" maneuver.
Officers reported Kitzman was visibly intoxicated with slurred speech, red and glassy eyes, and a strong odor of alcohol. She failed field sobriety tests and registered a preliminary breath test of 0.218%, nearly three times the legal limit.
During a vehicle inventory, officers found a loaded and cocked crossbow in the "fire" position, an unloaded shotgun, and a THC vape cartridge in Kitzman's purse.
Witnesses told police that before the incident, Kitzman had been arguing with people in the parking lot and threatened to "ram them" if she got back in her car. One witness described her as "drunk as ****."
The charges against Kitzman include first-degree recklessly endangering safety, battery to a law enforcement officer, attempting to flee or elude an officer, hit and run causing injury, obstructing an officer, possession of THC, and operating while intoxicated causing injury with a blood alcohol content of 0.15 or more.
If convicted on the most serious charges, Kitzman faces up to 12 years and six months in prison.
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