Cops: Tardy USC student leads police on chase

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Authorities say a University of South Carolina student blamed being late for class as the reason she wouldn’t get out of her car when stopped by police.

Columbia police say 20-year-old Brittany Grace Fortuna of Ridgeway was arrested Thursday and charged with reckless driving, simple assault and battery, resisting arrest, failure to stop for blue lights, and malicious injury to personal property.

An officer says Fortuna refused to get out of her car after she was pulled over for running a red light downtown, saying she was late for class. Fortuna drove off, later hit a patrol car and an officer on foot before stopping.

Officers broke a window to get Fortuna out of her car.

Fortuna was in jail Thursday. It wasn’t known if she had an attorney.