Trial begins for woman accused of driving around construction site, striking worker

Carla Marie Davis, 33, is charged with leaving the scene of an injury accident and reckless driving, court records show.

Testimony in the case is expected to begin Tuesday.

Prosecutors allege Davis ignored the worker, who told her she could not drive around a cement truck blocking a street in front of a home at 1503 Brookdale Drive, where workers were pouring concrete about 8:15 a.m. on June 9, 2011.

Davis backed up, jumped the curb and drove through the yards of residences at 1508 and 1512 Brookdale Drive to go around the cement truck, striking the same worker with her SUV, police reported.

The worker, Teddy Rupe, was struck with the passenger side mirror and fender of the vehicle, a 2001 Ford Expedition, court records show.

Rupe, a heavy-equipment operator for the city of Del City, previously testified that he approached Davis' vehicle and told her she couldn't continue “on through,” according to a transcript from Davis's preliminary hearing.

“She said I couldn't block the street that way and I said, ‘Yes, ma'am, I can,'” Rupe testified.