This is the dramatic moment a pregnant woman mowed down a fleeing man she accused of stealing a purse from her car in a Walmart parking lot.

Christine Braswell, 26, said the man - identified as Robert Raines - was rummaging through her SUV picking her valuables from the vehicle in Asheville, North Carolina.

After she started chasing the man on foot, she quickly realized being five months pregnant she could not keep up the pace, so she got in her car and ran him over in footage captured on camera.

Christine Marie Braswell (left) and Robert Edward Raines (right) in Asheveille Police mugshots

A split second before the topless thief is smashed to the ground by the woman whose purse he stole

Christine Braswell is pictured yelling in the aftermath of the incident which got her arrested

The man, identified as Robert Raines, was said to be writhing in pain before being taken to hospital

Braswell told ABC's News 13: 'He was with my purse and he took off and I took off after him.

'Me being five months pregnant, I chased a little ways then come back, jumped in the car, threw it in gear and come across the curb and ran him over.

'I was not going to let him get away with it. It's not right, it's not fair.'

Witnesses said they saw the man ransacking the SUV and confronted Raines, which is when he ran away.

As he trotted topless across the parking lot, he was suddenly hit from behind and the purse can be seen flying into the air upon impact.

The red SUV speeds across the parking lot in Walmart in Asheville, North Carolina

Topless man, identified as Robert Raines, can be seen running away with a purse in his hand

Raines is floored by Christine Braswell, 26, who said the suspect had been rummaging through her SUV

The suspected thief was taken to hospital but he is expected to make a full recovery having only suffered minor injuries.

Raines has been charged with breaking and entering, larceny and misdemeanor damage to property as Braswell claims the man broke the screens on her iPad and phone.

Braswell herself has been charged with misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon for running him over.