Woman accused of driving over victim’s legs, stealing purse

UPDATE 8 a.m. Wednesday:

Monica Jefferies, accused of running over a woman's legs on Tuesday, turned herself in at the Anchorage jail on Tuesday night, Anchorage police said Wednesday morning.

Original Tuesday story:

Anchorage woman Monica A. Jefferies is being sought by police after they say Jefferies stole another woman's purse and ran over her legs after she tried to re-enter the pickup that Jefferies was driving.

Jefferies, 21, has been charged with third-degree assault, second-degree theft, fourth-degree theft, leaving the scene of an accident and violating conditions of release, the Anchorage Police Department said in a statement Tuesday evening.

Police say that on Tuesday afternoon, Jefferies picked up the victim, who had agreed to help Jefferies pay for gas. Jefferies drove to the Holiday Gas Station in Anchorage's Mountain View neighborhood, where the victim got out and pumped gas into Jefferies' Ford pickup.

After the tank was filled, Jefferies began to drive away while the victim was still outside the car, police said. Jefferies had the victim's purse inside the car, police said, and the victim chased the truck on foot, jumping onto the side of it.

The victim hung onto the car until they reached the intersection of North Lane Street and Mountain View Drive, where police said Jefferies stopped at a red light. The victim let go of the truck and tried to get inside the cab. When the light turned green, Jefferies drove away, running over the victim's legs, according to police.

Around 2:45 p.m., police made contact with the victim, who had "visible injuries to her legs" and ripped jeans. She was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police described Jefferies as 5 feet 7 inches tall, 250 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is asked to call police dispatchers' non-emergency line at 311, or make an anonymous tip with Anchorage Crime Stoppers.