A city woman was taken into custody for allegedly leading Altoona police on a high speed chase after she intentionally struck at least seven vehicles and attempted to run down three teenagers in her SUV.

Jennifer Louise Fortney, 43, was arraigned Wednesday by Magisterial District Judge Matthew Dunio on dozens of felony and misdemeanor charges, including 28 felony counts of aggravated assault and 14 felony counts of criminal attempt – aggravated assault by vehicle. She was remanded to the Blair County Prison with bail denied due to being “a safety risk to the general public,” online court documents state.

Altoona police were advised about 12:26 p.m. Tuesday to be on the lookout for a silver SUV traveling north along Old Sixth Avenue Road, as it had been involved in a multiple motor vehicle accident. Blair 911 told officers the SUV, later determined to be driven by Fortney, had struck several other vehicles and a pedestrian, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

After an officer spotted the SUV, which had heavy front-end damage, they activated their emergency lights and pulled their cruiser into the roadway in an effort to block Fortney. The officer saw Fortney was not going to stop and began veering toward the cruiser in an attempt to hit him. The officer reversed his cruiser and avoided being struck by Fortney before pursuing her through the city, the police report states.

During the pursuit, Fortney stopped the SUV in the middle of the road. The officer attempted going around Fortney to block the vehicle, but Fortney saw the officer trying to overtake them and swerved toward the cruiser. The officer was forced to brake abruptly to avoid being struck, then continued to follow Fortney, the report states.

Fortney led officers onto Broad Avenue while swerving into oncoming traffic and almost striking other vehicles. She ultimately drove over the sidewalk and into the front yard of her residence along the 2700 block of Union Avenue. All Altoona police units surrounded the SUV and Fortney, who had already exited the vehicle and threw a water bottle and cellphone at an officer. Fortney was then taken into custody, the report states.

Following Fortney’s arrest, officers spoke with several victims, including teenage boys who were almost struck by Fortney near 11th Street on the 10th Avenue Expressway. The teens told officers Fortney had accelerated toward them, trying to hit them, and they were forced to scatter to avoid being run down. The teens were able to identify both Fortney and her vehicle. At the location of the incident, officers located damaged grass and small plastic parts from the SUV, the report states.

Another victim told officers she had a prior altercation with Fortney, who then began following her vehicle. When the victim parked in a lot along the 700 block of Third Street, Fortney pulled up and began yelling at the victim, saying “I will kill you.” Fortney then drove her SUV into the driver’s side of the victim’s vehicle three times. The victim said her 11-year-old daughter was also seated on the driver’s side and that they were in fear for their lives, the report states.

Officers were also informed of several vehicles Fortney had struck along Seventh Street and Chestnut Avenue. In speaking with victims and witnesses, officers determined Fortney had intentionally struck at least seven vehicles. In one incident, witnesses attempted to reach into Fortney’s vehicle and take her keys but Fortney began slapping them and threatening to kill them, the report states.

Fortney is scheduled for a preliminary hearing July 1 in front of Magisterial District Judge Daniel C. DeAntonio.