A woman in the United States has been charged with attempted murder after she told police that she intentionally ran over a 14-year-old girl because she believed the teenager was Mexican.

Key points: The woman admitted to driving her SUV onto a footpath and running over the teenager, who was walking to a school basketball game

The woman admitted to driving her SUV onto a footpath and running over the teenager, who was walking to a school basketball game The teenager suffered a concussion and severe bruising in the attack but she is expected to make a full recovery

The teenager suffered a concussion and severe bruising in the attack but she is expected to make a full recovery The woman was already in jail on a separate assault charge when police interviewed her about the hit-and-run

Natalia Miranda suffered a concussion and severe bruising in the attack in Des Moines, Iowa, but is expected to make a full recovery.

Police Chief Mike Venema, from Clive, Iowa, said during a news conference that Nicole Marie Poole Franklin, 42, admitted to steering her SUV onto a footpath on December 9 in the suburban Des Moines community and running over the teenager, who was walking to school to watch a basketball game.

Ms Franklin then fled the scene.

Ms Franklin made several derogatory statements about Latinos during a police interview in which she admitted she intentionally ran over the teenager, police said.

"I want to say in the strongest terms possible that there is no place in our community … for this type of hatred or violence," Chief Venema said.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 35 seconds 35 s Nicole Marie Poole Franklin made several derogatory comments about Latinos during a police interview

Ms Miranda was hospitalised for two days.

"I don't remember the impact," the teenager told Des Moines television station KCCI in the days after the crash.

"I just remember the car coming at me."

Franklin was already in jail on a separate assault charge when police interviewed her about the hit-and-run.

In the assault case, which also occurred on December 9, she is accused of making racist remarks to a West Des Moines convenience store clerk and customers and throwing items at the clerk.

AP