By Elisha Fieldstadt, CNN
(CNN) – A 20-year-old Canadian woman driving a Jeep Wrangler deliberately ran into a small creek as the Niagara River flowed toward the falls — an act of going rogue that injured her and a passerby — authorities said Wednesday.
Michelle Marie McKellar of Ontario in Canada has been charged with one count of criminal mischief and three counts of aggravated driving causing bodily harm, all felonies, said Niagara Parks Police Detective Deputy Chief Jeffrey Rabey.
She is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in the Town of Whirlpool, Cayuga County.
McKellar had been visiting Niagara Falls, NY, with her family when she ran into the creek after her vehicle crashed.
The creek is located about 20 feet upstream from the Mirror Lakes base trail, where McKellar drove her Jeep into a small body of water.
McKellar initially stayed on the scene and then made her way to a small building, where two children were waiting. She told the children to get help and stayed there, authorities said.
A 42-year-old man and a 6-year-old girl, both visiting from Toronto, were also on the trail.
She drove away, with the man and the child still with her, before police caught up with her in downtown Buffalo, law enforcement officials said.
The man and girl were taken to a local hospital in stable condition. The man suffered severe injuries to his right arm, Rabey said. The girl had minor injuries.
Police are not sure how much time elapsed between the crash and the assault.