An Oakdale man faces a felony assault charge for allegedly running over a woman with his pickup truck this week in the parking lot of the Target store on University Avenue in St. Paul.

On Wednesday afternoon, Christian A. Smalley, 56, allegedly veered his truck toward a 23-year-old woman who had just stepped off the sidewalk to enter the Target parking lot, police said. The woman was thrown onto the hood of the truck before falling beneath it and being dragged for about 15 feet.

Witnesses told police the woman was screaming as Smalley drove with her trapped under his truck. Bystanders were able to get Smalley to stop his vehicle for about 10 seconds before he drove out of the lot, driving over the woman with the back wheels of his truck.

Police located Smalley a short time after the 5 p.m. incident, and without prompting he admitted to hitting the woman, a probable cause warrant says. Smalley claimed the woman jumped in front of his truck and he doesn’t remember veering to hit her or running her over.

Smalley told police he suffered from a mental illness, but had stopped taking his medications.

The incident was also caught on video surveillance. The woman suffered scrapes and contusions all over her body.

If convicted of second-degree felony assault with a dangerous weapon, Smalley would face up to seven years in prison and a $14,000 fine. He is being held in the Ramsey County jail on $100,000 bond.