A 25-year-old woman, Sahara Dula, has been sentenced to two years in prison following her guilty plea to second-degree assault for intentionally striking an NYPD officer with her car. The incident, captured on video, occurred on Park Avenue in New York City, where Dula, who was under the influence of marijuana, drove the wrong way and struck the officer head-on, according to court records. Video footage shows the officer attempting to direct Dula back into the correct lane before she accelerated, leading to the collision that caused the officer to suffer a fractured leg. Dula, a criminal justice graduate, has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is receiving ongoing mental-health treatment.
Dula was taken into custody after the incident and reportedly shouted anti-police remarks while in arrest, admitting she intentionally hit the, according to the records. Her attorney, Patricia Wright, stated that Dula has accepted responsibility for her actions and has fully complied with all pretrial conditions since her arrest. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg condemned the attack, calling it a ‘dangerous assault on law enforcement,’ while the Police Benevolent Association criticized the sentence as too lenient.
Dula faced multiple charges including attempted assault, drug-impaired driving, and reckless driving. Her plea deal reduced her potential prison term from a maximum of seven years to two years. The incident has sparked a broader debate on accountability and justice for actions against police officers, with law enforcement groups calling for harsher sentences and defense attorneys emphasizing the importance of rehabilitation and mental health support.