NYPD manhunt for supermodel Naomi Campbel

Naomi Campbell via last.fm

For short-fused supermodel Naomi Campbell, Project Runaway is cancelled.

The NYPD called off the model hunt Wednesday, a day after the fashion icon went on the lam after beating her driver in the midst of a Manhattan meltdown.

Cops suspended their search for nutty Naomi when the battered driver, Miodrag Mejdina, opted not to press charges against the 39-year-old diva, sources said.

Instead, it was filed away as a harassment complaint, leaving Mejdina with the option of seeking an order of protection - or suing Campbell for damages.

Campbell, who was still in hiding, was last seen scampering away from Mejdina's Cadillac Escalade in a black designer coat.

There was also no immediate comment from Mejdina, 27, of Queens, who sources said is employed by Campbell's married Russian squeeze, billionaire Vladimir Doronin.

Mejdina suffered bruising and swelling under an eye and was treated by the Emergency Medical Service at the 17th Precinct stationhouse.

The bratty Brit went ballistic shortly after Mejdina picked her up Tuesday at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Columbus Circle, police said.

Mejdina told cops he was driving her to the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens when she snapped about 3 p.m. as they approached the Queensboro Bridge.

"He said Ms. Campbell had struck him in the back of the head or neck while he was driving, causing him to hit his head on the steering wheel," NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said.

Campbell had apparently been nursing a grudge against Mejdina for a year. His offense? He didn't answer the phone when she was trying to track down Doronin.

Mejdina pulled over at 58th St. and Second Ave. after Campbell smacked him and flagged down a traffic agent to report the assault, police said.

Meanwhile, the vamp vamoosed.

An anger management graduate, Campbell's tantrums have become the stuff of catwalk legend.

In 2008, the temperamental beauty pleaded guilty to pitching a foul-mouthed fit and assaulting a pair of police officers at Heathrow Airport in London. She was sentenced to 200 hours of community service and

fined $4,500.

A year earlier, Campbell pleaded guilty to tossing her crystal-studded BlackBerry at housekeeper Ana Scolavino at her Manhattan pad. She was ordered to attend anger management classes and serve five days of community service at the city Sanitation Department garage in lower Manhattan.

Source:http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/03/03/2010-03-03_nypd_manhunt_for_supermodel_naomi_campbell_called_off_after_charges_dropped_by_b.html