Kenja Harper

Name:
Harper, Kenja Olinda

Date of Booking:
03/22/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Following Too Closely

Hit and Run; Duty of Driver to Stop or Return to Scene of Accident

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

On March 21, 2025 at 0949 hours I was dispatched to the area of Manning Gin Road and East Star Street in reference to a hit and run. I responded without using my emergency lights or siren.

I arrived and met with [VICTIM #1] and [WITNESS #1]. Neither one of them spoke English very well but with the help of translators on the phone and Google I was able to determine what had happened. [VICTIM #1] and [WITNESS #1] had been in [VICTIM #1]’s 2014 Honda Accord traveling north on Manning Gin Road. [VICTIM #1] was driving and [WITNESS #1] was in the passenger seat. When they stopped for the stop sign at Manning Gin Road and East Star Street they were struck from behind by a white vehicle. The white vehicle was being driven by a female they recognized as a coworker of theirs at Harrison Poultry. Instead of stopping and exchanging information the female drove away from the scene. [VICTIM #1] followed her through Bethlehem and onto University Parkway and [WITNESS #1] took photographs of her vehicle. The photographs included the tag number.

Neither [VICTIM #1] nor [WITNESS #1] knew the female driver’s name, but they knew she worked night shift at Harrison Poultry and that she had just gotten off. They also knew she did not have to be back at work until Sunday night, March 23. [VICTIM #1] pointed out damage to the rear bumper of his vehicle. I observed the bumper was cracked directly in the middle but there was not any paint transfer.

[WITNESS #1] showed me the photographs, including the tag on the white car, [REDACTED]. I ran the tag through GCIC, and it returned to a 2014 Ford Fusion registered to Kenja Harper from Athens. I spoke to Human Resources representatives from Harrison Poultry, and they confirmed Kenja was an employee and that she had clocked out at 0836 hours on this date. [VICTIM #1] had approximated the collision took place just after 0900 hours. HR representatives also confirmed Kenja did not have to be back to work until Sunday night.

I called Kenja on the phone number provided by Harrison Poultry. She answered and I introduced myself. I informed her I was investigating a hit and run that she had been accused of committing. She acknowledged an incident took place at the intersection of Manning Gin Road and East Star Street, but claimed she did not make contact with [VICTIM #1]’s vehicle. She claimed they had tried to “extort” her “for some money” but she drove away. She mentioned her vehicle not being damaged so I asked her if she could come back to Barrow County for me to be able to see her vehicle. She claimed that was not an option because her son had taken it as soon as she got home.

At one point while I was speaking to Kenja, she stated “I just barely tapped” and then quickly changed her story and claimed she had only gotten very close to striking [VICTIM #1]’s vehicle. She continuously claimed they were trying to extort her. I informed her if that was happening, she should have immediately called law enforcement. She claimed she called 911 after she observed [VICTIM #1] and [WITNESS #1] following her, but she could not tell me what county she was connected to.

I will be applying for warrants against Kenja Harper for Hit and Run and Following too Closely based on her admission that she “just barely tapped” [VICTIM #1]’s car and then fled the area.

I provided [VICTIM #1] the case number.

[End of Narrative]