NC House Candidate Faces Four to 24 Months in Prison Over 2019 Rental Car

Lakesha Womack, the Democratic candidate challenging Rep. Tim Moore in North Carolina's 14th Congressional District, faces a felony charge for failing to return a rental car in 2019. If found guilty, she could be sentenced to between four and 24 months in prison or ordered to perform community service for the same duration.

The charges were brought to Womack's attention by law enforcement during a campaign event in Polk County on October 11. A deputy from the Polk County Sheriff's Office served her with a criminal summons for felony failure to return a hired motor vehicle. The Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office confirmed the service of the papers but did not verify that the exchange took place at a campaign stop.

Womack stated in a Facebook video that she first learned of the pending case just days before the event. She described a period in 2019 where she was homeless and had a medical emergency that required intensive care unit treatment. During that time, her son was placed in foster care. Womack said she was living in a hotel and struggling to afford food when she could no longer pay for the rental car. The rental company eventually took the vehicle back.

"I had a rental car. Couldn't afford the rental car, and they came and got it. And, so, I never knew that, you know, they have filed, you know, I guess that it was a pending felony," Womack said in a video posted on October 9. She acknowledged owing fees to the rental company but said she had previously believed the issue was resolved.

The case was opened in January 2020, according to court records. Womack said she could not receive the initial summons at that time because she lacked a stable address while homeless. She noted that she was not publicly advertising her presence in Polk County when officers arrived, yet they knew exactly what car she was driving. They pulled up behind her vehicle and served her papers using her 2019 address.

Rep. Tim Moore's campaign criticized the timing of the discovery. A campaign spokesperson said the incident raises serious questions and that Womack owes voters an explanation because her court date is scheduled for one week after the election. The spokesperson argued that as an attorney with over 30 years of experience, Womack should be held to the same standard of justice as others. "Free legal advice: When the rental agreement ends, so does your right to keep the car," the spokesperson said.

North Carolina's 14th Congressional District covers the western part of the state, extending from the suburbs of Charlotte to rural foothill areas. Womack's campaign has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the deleted video and the active legal case.