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Religious woman drove into oncoming traffic to ‘test her faith’

'Reilly also stated she did not care if the other people were injured because God would have taken care of them,' said police

Kate Ng
Tuesday 21 January 2020 06:35 EST
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Route 93, where the incident occurred
Route 93, where the incident occurred

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A woman allegedly drove her car into oncoming traffic, hitting a car with three passengers in a bid to “test her faith”, said Pennsylvania State Police.

Nadejda Reilly, 51, was arrested on 7 January after she was involved in a head-on collision with a car on a major north-south highway in the US.

Ms Reilly had been reportedly driving for several hours waiting for a “calling from God” when she saw a car driving on the opposite side.

According to the affidavit from Pennsylvania police, she allegedly “wanted to test her faith by driving through the vehicle” and deliberately drove her car into the opposing lane of traffic.

Ms Reilly and two of the other car’s passengers were injured and taken to Lehigh Hospital-Hazleton. A third passenger was unharmed, said Trooper David Peters.

The two victims were an adult, who has been treated and released from hospital, and a 14-year-old girl whose condition is not immediately known, reported CNN.

Trooper Bruce Balliet said in the affidavit: “Reilly related God took care of her by not letting her [get] injured. Reilly expressed no concern or remorse for the victims. Reilly also stated she did not care if the other people were injured because God would have taken care of them.”

Court documents said Ms Reilly was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, reckless endangerment and harassment, as well as traffic charges in relation to the crash.

Mr Reilly was originally granted bail at US$50,000 but the judge revoked it last Wednesday after he determined she was a threat to herself and the community, said court documents.

Her lawyer, Andrew Theyken Bench, filed a notice with the court that his client planned to waive her formal reading of criminal charges but declined to comment further on the record, reported Associated Press.

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