Naomi avoids charges after ‘hitting’ driver in New York

Naomi Campbell was embroiled in a 'hit and run' row last night after fleeing from New York police. The British supermodel, who is famous for her temper tantrums, allegedly hit her chauffeur before hotfooting it from the scene in midtown Manhattan.

The unnamed 27-year-old driver, who had been hired for the day, told police that Campbell was sitting in the back seat of his black Cadillac Escalade on Tuesday afternoon when she flew into a rage. The driver claimed that Campbell became infuriated when he pulled over to speak to a traffic officer.

Police said that Campbell slapped and punched the driver from behind, before fleeing the scene. The chauffeur, who was left with a bruised right cheek when his head hit the steering wheel, told officers he had picked Campbell up at her Manhattan hotel and was taking her to Astoria Studios, a TV and film studio complex in Queens.

Shortly after the incident Campbell's spokesman Jeff Raymond said the supermodel would co-operate with police over the matter. "There shouldn't be a rush to judgment, Naomi will co-operate voluntarily," he said before adding: "There is more to the story than meets the eye."

One theory circulating last night was that Campbell had become angry because the driver was supposedly the former chauffeur for her ex-boyfriend Vlad Doronin, a Russian billionaire and property mogul. Sources claimed that the chauffeur had covered up Doronin's indiscretions with other women while he was seeing Campbell.

New York authorities said later that the driver had decided not to pursue the matter. As no officer witnessed the incident, police simply issued a 'harassment report' which carries no penalty.

This means Campbell is unlikely to face another bout of community service in Manhattan, as she did in 2007 after pleading guilty to hurling a mobile phone at a maid. The charge saw the supermodel spend a week scrubbing lavatories and sweeping floors. In 2008 she pleaded guilty to swearing, kicking and spitting at two police officers at Heathrow after her luggage went missing at the newly opened Terminal 5.

Campbell admitted last month that she was "not perfect" during a fundraising event for Haiti earthquake survivors. She told Radio 5 Live: "I am not proud of any of the mistakes. But I am a work in progress." ·