Amanda Christman

Standard-Speaker, Hazleton, Pa.

A Drums woman told police it was an act of faith when she drove head-on into another car in Packer Twp. on Tuesday, court papers say.

Nadejda Reilly, 51, faces a felony for aggravated assault, misdemeanors for simple assault and reckless endangerment and summary counts of harassment, careless driving, reckless driving and disregarding a traffic lane.

She was taken to jail Wednesday after failing to post 10% of the $50,000 bail set by Magisterial District Judge Casimir Kosciolek, Lansford.

Troopers said she intentionally drove into the car on Route 93 around 5:17 p.m., a move which could have caused two other women and a 14-year-old girl death or serious injury.

Officers were originally dispatched to a three-vehicle crash just south of the Packer Twp. Municipal building and got there around 5:40 p.m.

According to arrest papers:

Reilly told troopers she was driving around for a few hours waiting for a calling from God but while south on Route 93 she saw an approaching vehicle in the opposing lane and “wanted to test her faith by driving through the vehicle.”

She intentionally turned her vehicle into their path and front end, telling the officer she wasn’t injured because God took care of her.

However, she expressed no concern or remorse for the victims, stating she didn’t care if other people were hurt because God would have taken care of them too.

A victim told troopers she turned into their lane in an instant.

Two of them were taken to a hospital. Further details on their conditions were unavailable.

— AMANDA CHRISTMAN

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