Background: Treadwell Street in Memphis, Tennessee (Google Maps). Inset: Iysha Chapman (Shelby County Sheriff’s Office).
A Tennessee woman accused of trying to stop her vehicle from being repossessed allegedly shot a tow truck worker after attempting to get into the car and leave, authorities said.
Iysha Chapman, 26, is charged with aggravated assault, according to Shelby County court records. She remains in custody on a $150,000 bond.
The case began early Wednesday morning, when two employees of a towing and recovery company went to a home on Treadwell Street in Memphis to repossess a 2015 Lincoln MKC, according to an affidavit of complaint. One of the workers told investigators that he and a co-worker had “received a repossession order” for the vehicle and arrived at the address at about 3:45 a.m., where Chapman was staying.
After they arrived, a woman later identified as Chapman came outside and asked if she could remove belongings from the vehicle, the affidavit states. The workers allowed her to collect her personal items and told her she would need to contact the lien holder about the repossession.
The situation escalated when one of the tow workers asked Chapman to return the keys, authorities said. She allegedly refused and told them, “you all will have to drag it,” according to the court document. The worker then got back into the tow truck and prepared to pull the vehicle away.
While he was inside the truck, the worker told police he heard Chapman say, “I will kill you,” before she allegedly fired a shot. The bullet struck the second worker, who was outside the truck, in the shoulder, the affidavit says. The injured man got into the vehicle, and the two workers drove away before calling 911.
Memphis Police Department officers later responded to the Treadwell Street address and spoke with Chapman. She allegedly told officers she had come outside and saw her vehicle being towed. According to the affidavit, “She advised she missed a payment on Monday but thought she had a five-day grace period.”
The defendant continued, claiming “she attempted to jump in the vehicle and drive off when one of the tow truck drivers stopped her from getting inside of it by pushing her back.”
Chapman “felt helpless,” she recounted, so she “went in her purse,” pulled out her firearm, “and fired a shot striking the male in the shoulder.”
Investigators got a search warrant and seized a teal .380 Glock that had five live rounds in it. When the wounded tow truck worker was later shown a photo lineup of six people, he reportedly “positively identified Chapman.”
The defendant was arrested and booked into jail; she is expected to appear in court on Monday.
