Newport Woman Allegedly Plows into Sheriff's Officer at Airport

A 48-year-old Newport Beach woman was charged Thursday with attempted murder and other felonies after she allegedly tried to run down a sheriff's officer at John Wayne Airport.

The incident began around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, when a sheriff's special officer, who was on a bicycle patrol, heard a possible collision in a parking garage and was directed by a witness toward a dark SUV, said sheriff's Lt. Jeff Hallock.

When he got to the scene, the driver of the Toyota Sequoia, Rebecca Lee McLaughlin, suddenly backed up and then drove toward the officer, who ended up on the hood of the vehicle, according to Hallock. The officer then got McLaughlin out of the vehicle and arrested her before he was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries, the lieutenant said.

According to the Orange County district attorney's office, the officer was thrown about 20 feet and his bicycle was destroyed.

The SUV came to a stop after it jumped a curb and slammed into a parking pole, according to prosecutors, who said McLaughlin could face a life sentence if convicted.

The Newport woman, who also faces charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer, made her initial court appearance Thursday, but her arraignment was rescheduled to Aug. 2 and her bail was set at $500,000, half the amount sought by prosecutors.

Sheriff's special officers are uniformed civilians who were recently given the authority to make misdemeanor arrests. They also may detain felony suspects and carry a weapon.