BAKER, Fla., Aug. 31, 2021—A Holt teenager is charged with driving a pickup truck at an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputy during a traffic stop near Baker early yesterday morning.

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Related: “Traffic stop leads to an officer-involved shooting incident”

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River Lee Harper, 18, was arrested for assault on a law enforcement officer, making a false crime report and tampering with evidence.

Harper was a passenger Monday in a truck that was stopped by a deputy on Old River Road around 3:30 a.m., according to an OCSO news release.

When the driver, not yet identified, jumped out and ran, the deputy began to chase him.

The deputy was on a bridge in the middle of a two-lane road when he saw the truck coming at him at a high rate of speed. In fear of being struck, he was forced to take evasive action and fired two rounds at the truck, according to the release.

The suspect vehicle belonged to Harper, who, after the incident, filed a stolen vehicle report.

A witness who was also a passenger in the truck and who identified Harper as the person who drove at the deputy, told investigators that Harper ditched the truck and got a ride home from a friend after the incident, according to the arrest report.

Harper later admitted to OCSO investigators she drove the truck toward the deputy, that she filed a false stolen vehicle report and admitted she fled the scene to conceal possible evidence in the truck at the time of the traffic stop. She refused to tell investigators where she left her truck, according to the report.

Staff and OCSO news release