Police searching for driver accused of intentionally hitting woman with car in Simi Valley

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. - Investigators were searching Thursday for the driver accused of assaulting a 27-year-old woman with her vehicle.

The assault took place around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday night, according to the Simi Valley Police Department. The 27-year-old woman was walking with a male friend near a Walmart store, located in the 2200 Block of Tapo Street, when a female driver in an unknown type of vehicle reportedly slowed down and began yelling obscenities towards them. 

They both ignored the driver and continued to walk, authorities said.

The driver eventually passed them and parked adjacent to the JOANN Fabrics store, located in the same shopping center as Walmart. Police said that as the victim got to the area where the vehicle was parked, the driver accelerated toward her and collided into her, throwing the victim several feet.

Following the alleged assault, the driver fled southbound toward Alpine Street.

Authorities said that because the victim was hit by the vehicle on purpose, this changed the classification of the incident from a traffic collision to an assault with a deadly weapon.

The victim sustained abrasions to her back and a laceration to her head. She was transported to Simi Valley Hospital and was subsequently released.

Police said that neither the victim nor her friend knows the suspect, who was described as a white adult female driving a silver sedan.

Anyone who has information regarding this incident is asked to call the Simi Valley Police Dept. at 805-583-6950.