Columbia Driver Hits Police Car, Charged with DUI

A Columbia woman is in jail and a police officer is in the hospital after a Saturday morning crash on Route 1 in North Laurel, according to the Howard County Police Department (HCPD).

At approximately 1:24 a.m. on July 28, Yolanda Murchison was driving her Chevrolet Cruze northbound on Route 1 at Davis Avenue when she "jumped the curb and drove across the median and struck the right rear of the police vehicle," according to a statement from HCPD.

The marked police car was at a stop sign about to turn on Davis Avenue at the time of the crash, HCPD spokesman Cpl. Christopher Adams told Patch.

The police officer was taken by ambulance to , where HCPD said he was in stable condition Saturday morning.

Murchison, 30, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence (DUI), according to the statement from police.

"She was charged with DUI only," Bryce Buell, spokesman for HCPD, told Patch. "However, there will be additional charges pending the completion of the investigation."

The police statement said alcohol and failure to stay right of center were factors in the crash.

According to online court records, Murchison was charged June 24 for driving with a suspended license; in that incident, she was on Route 1 at Howard Street, approximately 2 miles north of the July 28 crash.

Murchison was at the Howard County Detention Center Saturday morning.