A Kenai woman who allegedly tried to run over emergency responders working to put out a fire at her house was arrested Monday night.
Margaret H. Rookard, 67, was arrested on three counts of third-degree assault and one count of resisting arrest after allegedly charging her van at firefighters and a police officer at the scene of the fire.
Emergency personnel responded to the fire near Dogwood Road in Kenai just before 11 p.m. Monday night. Police allege that when Rookard arrived at the house, she accelerated her van toward a firefighter, who jumped on the hood of the vehicle to avoid being hit.
The firefighter was thrown from the hood, and Rookard drove toward a police officer, who had to take immediate evasive action to avoid being hit, according to police. Rookard also allegedly targeted another firefighter with her van and ran over active fire hoses during the incident.
Police said that Rookard stopped the van in the driveway and tried to go into the house. When police tried to arrest her, she tried to pull away and to “grab and squeeze” an officer’s groin, police allege.
Alcohol and drugs did not appear to be involved in the incident, according to police.
Rookard’s arraignment was scheduled for Tuesday morning. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 2.
Reach Erin Thompson at erin.thompson@peninsulaclarion.com
