A sheriff's deputy struck a woman with a car at protest of police violence

A sheriff's vehicle hit a woman named Wanda Cleveland, 61, at a protest over the police killing of Stephon Clark in Sacramento, California, Saturday night.

"The vehicle accelerated and struck her, accelerated very fast, and struck her violently, and she fell to the ground," said Guy Danilowitz, who recorded video of the incident. "It was a very fast acceleration, not the way you would move with people around."

After striking Cleveland, the sheriff's deputy drove away. She sustained minor injuries and described the experience as a "hit-and-run" for which any non-officer would be prosecuted. "He never even stopped," Cleveland said. "If I did that, I'd be charged."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department claimed the collision happened "at slow speeds" and said demonstrators "began yelling while pounding and kicking the vehicle's exterior." The California Highway Patrol will investigate.