UPDATE: Woman struck by truck during Black Lives Matter protest in Bowling Green

Tensions between police and civil rights activists are escalating after police were reportedly involved the recent deaths of Breonna Taylor in Louisville and George Floyd in Minneapolis. Today Officer Derek Chauvin was charged with 3rd degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death.

Protests hit Bowling Green Friday evening, in response to those recent deaths. While they were protesting outside the Bowling Green Police station, officers say a female protester was hit by a Silverado 4X4 driven by 24-year-old James Hunton of Bowling Green. In the arrest citation, police say Hunton had plenty of room to merge into the next lane to avoid hitting protesters. According to the report, the protester suffered only minor injuries.

Bowling Green Police say when they asked Hunton if his vehicle hit the protester he stated, "Probably so, there were protesters blocking the ****ing road, they deserved to be hit, anyone would." Hunton was arrested, charged with Wanton Endangerment 1st Degree, and was taken to the Warren County Regional Jail.

During Friday evening's protest, Chynnia Conn said "Black Lives Matter, we obviously are not going to be silenced. We're here to tell our truth. We are being innocently killed. And here we are."

"So much is going on we should not have to sit out here and protest. We should not have to gather in large groups. You all don't see white people doing this. There has not been one white protest in Bowling Green like this. But all these black people are out here dying. Like we need to start saying more like our voices need to be heard," said Yasmine Woods.