A Brookhaven woman was charged with aggravated assault afterallegedly striking a 15-year-old boy with her vehicle Tuesdaymorning during an altercation on Grant Road, Lincoln Countyauthorities said.

Shawomeka Barnes, 28, of 374 Greenwood Lane, was released onbond later Tuesday.

Authorities said Barnes tailed her estranged husband and afriend in her vehicle before they stopped at the friend’s residenceon Grant Road. She allegedly tried to run the other vehicle off theroad while pursuing it from the city into the county.

At the Grant Road residence, an incident ensued that laterresulted in the boy’s injuries. The 15-year-old victim was thefriend’s cousin and apparently was defending his family, saidJohnny Hall, chief investigator for the Lincoln County Sheriff’sDepartment.

“Words were exchanged,” Hall said. “According to the friend, thesuspect threatened her with a weapon she did not have, at whichpoint the boy went in the house and retrieved a crutch.”

Barnes then backed her vehicle out of the driveway but continuedthe verbal altercation while doing circles in the street, Hallsaid. At that point, she told authorities, the boy was throwingrocks at her vehicle.

“She ended up heading south on Grant and the boy was standing inthe edge of his yard and she struck him with the vehicle,” saidHall. “Witnesses who saw it said it looked intentional.”

When Hall and other deputies arrived on the scene, the boy wasstill unconscious. His leg was showing disfigurement both above andbelow the knee, Hall said.

The boy was taken to King’s Daughters Medical Center fortreatment. A source close to the family said he was later taken tothe University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he underwentsurgery late Tuesday night.