Woman who deliberately hit NYPD officer with car gets 2 years in prison

A woman who intentionally hit an NYPD officer with her car after shouting anti-police remarks has been sentenced to prison, a punishment the police union says is too lenient.

Sahara Dula, 25, was sentenced Wednesday in Manhattan Supreme Court, along with three years of post-release supervision, after pleading guilty to second-degree assault in June.

Prosecutors said Dula intentionally struck the officer with her black Lexus on Jan. 17, 2024, while she was driving the wrong way on Park Avenue near East 71st Street. Officers were in the area investigating a theft at a nearby luxury boutique and had partially closed the road, according to court documents.

The video cited in the archives shows a police officer approaching Dula’s car to steer her back into the correct lane. Instead of stopping, Dula accelerated, hitting the police officer head-on. The officer rolled over the hood before hitting the curb and suffered a broken leg, prosecutors said in the court filing.

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Sahara Dula told investigators “I did it on purpose” after punching an NYPD officer on Park Avenue in 2024. (X/@MrAndyNgo)

Dula was immediately taken into custody, police said. While under arrest, she launched into an anti-police tirade and admitted that she had intentionally hit the officer, according to court documents.

“I told the officer I wanted to go straight, and he didn’t want to move, so I hit him. I did it on purpose,” Dula told investigators, records show.

“F— those cops! He wouldn’t move!” she shouted shortly after the incident, according to the documents.

Authorities said Dula drove north in the southbound lanes of Park Avenue for about 10 blocks while under the influence of marijuana. Officers recovered rolling papers and a container of marijuana from the cup holder of his car, according to court records.

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Sahara Dula, 24, told investigators she hit the officer “on purpose.” (X/@MrAndyNgo)

Dula, a criminal justice major, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is currently undergoing mental health treatment, according to the New York Post.

Police Benevolent Association president Patrick Hendry criticized the outcome, telling Fox News Digital that the justice system needs to send a stronger message.

“The sentence is nowhere near enough,” Hendry said. “This individual tried to run over a New York City police officer. She could have killed him. We’re glad she’s going behind bars instead of walking free, but there should be no leniency for attacks on police officers.”

Her lawyer, Patricia Wright, told Fox News Digital that Dula accepted responsibility for her actions.

“Ms. Dula took responsibility for her actions, pleaded guilty and was sentenced according to the law,” Wright said. “We sincerely hope that the officer involved in the assault on Ms. Dula will demonstrate a high level of professionalism in the future and will not have the opportunity to engage in such behavior again.”

Since her arrest, Wright said Dula has fully complied with all bail conditions and is a “model citizen.”

Dula was initially charged with several counts, including attempted assault, attempted aggravated assault of a police officer, assault, drug-impaired driving and reckless driving, according to the indictment.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg previously condemned the attack in a February 2024 press release announcing the indictment, calling it a “dangerous assault” on law enforcement.

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Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg previously condemned the attack as a “dangerous assault” on law enforcement. (Barry Williams for NY Daily News via Getty Images)

“This defendant not only endangered the lives of countless people traveling on Park Avenue, but she deliberately sought to harm an NYPD officer,” Bragg said. “We have no tolerance for this type of attack and will continue to treat it with the seriousness it deserves. I hope the injured officer makes a full recovery and thank him for his service.”

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While the second-degree assault charge carried a maximum sentence of seven years, Dula’s plea deal reduced his prison sentence to two years, followed by three years of supervised release, Wright said.

Stepheny Price covers crime including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.