Woman arrested, accused of stealing victim’s car minutes after crash
A woman is facing charges after Clayton County police said she hopped in someone’s car shortly after a crash and drove off.
Officials said Deja Parkman stole the car while the victim was trying to evaluate the damage from the wreck.
The victim and another driver were involved in a crash at the intersection of Highway 85 and Garden Walk Boulevard about 5:30 p.m. Friday, police said in a statement.
The two cars pulled over, and one of the drivers got out of their vehicle. That’s when Parkman jumped in the car and sped away, police said.
The victim tried to stop Parkman and was dragged alongside the car for a short distance. They suffered minor scrapes from the incident, police said.
The other driver who had been in the crash saw what was happening and started following the stolen car, authorities said. Parkman was arrested shortly after on charges of theft by taking a motor vehicle, aggravated assault and theft by receiving motor vehicle. She was booked into the Clayton County Jail, where she remains on a $20,500 bond.
The victim’s car was returned to them with “no additional damage than a flat tire,” police said.
About the Author
Asia Simone Burns is a watchdog reporter for the AJC. Burns was formerly an intern in AJC’s newsroom and now writes about crime. She is a graduate of Samford University and has previously reported for NPR and WABE, Atlanta’s NPR member station.
