Woman hits man in store lot, then parks and goes shopping

SALEM – A woman’s claim of ignorance wasn’t enough to avoid arrest Monday after she allegedly struck a pedestrian with her truck in the Wal-Mart parking lot then parked her vehicle and went shopping.Brenda James, 47, of 117 Lafayette St., Salem, was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury and driving an unregistered vehicle shortly after 4 p.m.When police arrived at the Highland Avenue store, officers found a woman lying in the middle of the parking lot unable to move, police said.The victim was conscious, but complained of knee and back pain, according to police.An eyewitness told police she saw a blue Chevy Tractor strike the woman, then back up and drive away as the woman lay on the ground, police said.The eyewitness wrote down the vehicle’s license plate number and police found it parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot.Police stood by the vehicle waiting for the owner to return. As James approached, she told police that she had been operating the vehicle, police said.According to police, James said she hit the victim after she “jumped” in front of her truck. James thought the victim was okay, so she backed up, parked and went shopping, according to police.James’ vehicle was towed. Police will examine store surveillance cameras to develop the case.