A Fulton woman was shot by a Callaway County Sheriff’s Office deputy on Saturday night after she was allegedly driving recklessly and claimed she had a gun.
Sydney Akers, 29, of Fulton, is booked in the Callaway County Jail on suspicion of first-degree assault, second-degree assault, armed criminal action and being a habitual offender of driving while intoxicated, meaning five or more instances.
She is also suspected of failing to stop at a stop sign, resisting arrest, driving while revoked, obstructing government operations, leaving the scene of an accident, operating a vehicle in a careless or imprudent manner, aggravated fleeing a stop, and exceeding the speed limit by 26 miles per hour or more.
Akers allegedly nearly T-boned a deputy on Westminster Drive near Fourth Street around 10:59 p.m. on Saturday, according to a Sheriff’s Office news release.
As the deputy tried to conduct a traffic stop, Akers allegedly continued on, resulting in a pursuit westbound on State Road F, according to the release.
Investigators allege that she intentionally applied her brakes several times in front of pursuing deputies, which caused collisions between her vehicle and a patrol car.
The pursuit allegedly ended on State Road F near County Road 341, but Akers refused to exit the vehicle.
She allegedly indicated that she wanted deputies to shoot her, and after claiming to be armed with a gun, a deputy shot her, according to the news release.
Despite additional officers arriving on scene and continued commands to exit the vehicle, Akers refused, which led to the deployment of a less-lethal projectile, according to the release.
She was taken into custody and treated at a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries before being released to the Callaway County Jail.
Per protocol, the Missouri State Highway Patrol is conducting an independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
Prior offenses
Akers was also arrested in Boone County on March 4 and charged with a DWI with prior offenses, resisting arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm and third-degree and fourth-degree assault.
An officer measured her car as going 80 mph in a 55 mph construction zone on Interstate 70 and attempted to pull her over, according to court documents.
After she slowed down a few times before continuing, the officer made contact with her in a parking lot and observed her breath smelled like alcohol, her eyes were dilated and she was allegedly “belligerent and argumentative,” according to court records.
When the officer attempted to remove Akers from the vehicle to place her under arrest, she allegedly pulled her body away and reached for her purse, according to court documents.
Investigators found a handgun and an extra loaded magazine in her purse, as well as a cup with liquid that smelled strongly of alcohol, according to court records.
She was also arrested on Aug. 1 after an officer noticed her swerving and allegedly speeding, according to court documents.
Akers allegedly acknowledged she was swerving and said she was trying to use her phone for directions, according to court records.
During the traffic stop, the officer noticed multiple pill bottles, and Akers allegedly told them she was taking clonazepam, buprenorphine, and a substance called “7.0” that she compared to kratom.
Investigators later found a bottle of clonazepam and two bottles of buprenorphine, all prescribed to Akers, according to court documents.
Court records said each pill bottle label read, “May make you drowsy or dizzy, do not drink alcohol with the drug. Use care when operating a vehicle, vessel or other machines.”
In this incident, Akers was charged with a DWI with prior offenses, driving while revoked, and failure to drive on the right half of the road.
Source: www.komu.com
