Woman accused of reporting false attack to park rangers

TUPELO, Miss. – Authorities say a woman who claimed that two men attacked her on a historic trail in Mississippi had fabricated the story.

The National Park Service told news outlets in a statement Friday that charges are pending against Kannaya Jackson for making a false report. The park service says the Lexington resident told rangers she stopped May 24 on the Natchez Trace Parkway and had fired several shots from her handgun to defend herself from the attackers.

Acting Chief Ranger John Hearne says significant public interest had been brought to the case when Jackson was featured in local news reports. Hearne says Jackson changed her story during interviews with investigators and they determined no assault or anything similar had happened.

It is unclear if she has a lawyer.