Meet Sahara Dula. Or should I say meet Sahara Dula meeting an NYPD officer… with her car:
possibly this pic.twitter.com/iVW2DYOroD
— Young's Modulus (@y_modulus) January 19, 2024
The driver who struck a policeman at a Manhattan crime scene told authorities it was intentional, adding, “F–k these cops, it’s a lesson to him,’’ sources said Friday — with the mow-down caught on shocking video.
Sahara Dula — a 24-year-old Brooklynite whose lawyer said mentors kids to stay off drugs — was driving her black Lexus the wrong way on the Upper East Side while high on marijuana Wednesday when she barreled into the NYPD officer, officials and sources said.
“I told the cop I wanted to go straight, and he wouldn’t move, so I hit him. I did it on purpose,’’ Dula later told investigators, according to court papers.
“F–k these cops! He wouldn’t move!’’ she screamed a few minutes after the incident, the documents claim —with a source saying Dula added, “F–k these cops, it’s a lesson to him, and hopefully he doesn’t want to be a cop anymore.”
Footage posted on X late Thursday shows Dula, a college criminal justice graduate and former doorman, driving her vehicle the wrong way on Park Avenue near East 71st Street around 4:30 p.m.
At the time, officers were in the area investigating an unrelated robbery at a nearby high-end clothing store and had closed off part of the road.
One of the cops can be seen in the video walking up to Dula’s Lexus to force her into the correct lane, as someone can be heard yelling, “Be careful, be careful!”
Instead of stopping, the motorist hits the gas and strikes the cop head-on, causing him to roll up onto the hood of her car and land hard on the street.
Other officers rush to the wounded cop’s side as he winces in pain and lies on the ground.
In the corner of the frame, it appears that cops immediately hauled out and cuffed Dula.
The struck officer suffered a broken leg and bruising on multiple areas of his body, according to court papers.
Dula was charged with first-degree attempted assault, attempted aggravated assault upon a police officer, second-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment and operating a vehicle while ability impaired by drugs and reckless driving, according to the criminal complaint.
The suspect “admitted to smoking marijuana,” Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Lucy Shephard said during Dula’s Friday arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.
Marijuana and rolling papers were found in her vehicle, according to Shephard.
And Dula is reportedly a real keeper:
Dula’s only prior arrest in the Big Apple was in March 2022 for criminal mischief stemming from an incident near Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal Mall in which she destroyed property with a metal barrier, cops and police sources said. The charges were eventually dropped in the case, which was sealed.
Dula also has prior arrests in New Hampshire, Shepherd said.
In 2020, she allegedly failed to stop at an intersection in the town of Henniker and struck another vehicle before she fled the scene but was quickly located, according to a report in The Granite Quill.
She was also arrested on a simple assault charge after an incident at Concord Hospital in New Hampshire’s capital city, Patch reported at the time.
Bonus:
The Brooklyn resident — who supports her family, including her mother — runs her own company where she mentors kids on Saturdays through music and helps them stay off the streets, and away from drugs and gangs, according to Wright.
I completed my degree at New England College. I hope to immerse myself in the world of Public Relations joining a company that specializes in crisis communication through traditional techniques and social media.
As a child I wanted to learn anything related to Criminal Justice, I was intrigued by the Criminal Justice system and their responses to tragic events. As I grew older, I began to develop an interest in all things communications related writing, media, negotiating, proper speech etiquette, these were all things that made me choose to be a Double Major in Communication & Criminal Justice. My belief that proper communication can change the lives of many has lead me to want a career being a Public Relations representative.
My experiences have resulted in a diverse working background that includes knowledge of social media, creative writing, negotiating, web content development and design. In addition, my coursework at New England College has provided a solid background in Criminal Justice and Communication studies giving me a chance to further develop my literacy skills. My assertiveness, attention to detail, and passion are traits that I believe any employer would be happy to have.
And here’s the clincher: according to journalist Andy Ngô, Dula is a “pro-Palestine activist.”
