Report: Dad says daughter who ran over Miami Beach police may have had mental illness

WASHINGTON — A Bowie woman who was shot and killed by police in Miami Beach over the weekend may have been suffering from a mental illness, her father told NBC Washington.

Cariann Hithon of Bowie was shot after she fled the scene of a Miami Beach car crash and rammed her damaged BMW into a responding police officer, injuring him, according to police.

A bystander shot jarring video of part of what happened, and posted it on Instagram.

Now her father tells WTOP’s news partners at NBC Washington that he thinks she was suffering from an undiagnosed mental illness, and he tried — and failed — three times to get her a mental evaluation in Prince George’s County.

“Something mental health-wise was going on with my daughter, I really believe that,” said Cary Hithon.

Watch the full report on NBC Washington.

WTOP’s Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.

Michelle Basch

Michelle Basch is a reporter turned morning anchor at WTOP News.

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