City woman charged after nearly striking family

FROM STAFF REPORTS

   A city woman was arrested Monday on multiple charges after nearly striking a family of three traveling on Highway 67, losing a tire near Dr. Arnold Hopland's Office on West Elk Avenue, traveling all the way to the intersection of Church Street and Cedar Avenue on the rim, and stopping only after she ran over a curb.
   John Wesley Berry, 33, 1700 W. Elk Ave., went to Elizabethton Police Department around 3:56 p.m. to report nearly being run off the road by a reckless driver. According to Plt. Mike McIntosh, Berry said he, his wife Teena, 33 -- who is eight months' pregnant -- and his sister, Ginger, 18, were traveling in a 1991 Toyota Tercel when a female driving a blue Chevrolet Lumina came up behind them, dangerously close to the rear of their vehicle.
   Berry said he merged from the left to the right lane to let the woman by, however, she pulled in behind him. Berry accelerated to try to get away from her, he said, but she stayed behind him, about a foot from his rear bumper.
   In the vicinity of Dr. Hopland's office, the woman's vehicle lost a left front tire.
   Mrs. Berry said the woman nearly struck the front passenger door of their vehicle, where she was sitting, on several occasions and Ginger Berry told the officer the Lumina came close enough for her to literally reach out the window and touch it.
   Ptl. McIntosh found the Lumina's tire in the middle of West Elk Avenue. During investigation, Capt. Rusty Verran and Ptl. Joey Proffitt were dispatched to Browns Chapel Church on Cedar Avenue where the Lumina had crashed.
   Ptl. Proffitt spotted the vehicle over the curb at the church and approached the driver, Crystal E. Godsey, 23, 502 Bradley St., who began cursing the officer, according to the report. Godsey told Ptl. Proffitt she did not have a driver's license and that she had been drinking liquor. She was placed under arrest, however, she managed to get out of one of the handcuffs and attempted to fight with officers. She was resecured and transported to Sycamore Shoals Hospital by Ptl. Jason McCall for a blood alcohol content analysis.
   At the hospital, Godsey was escorted into the triage room by Ptl. McCall and Ptl. Proffitt. At first, she was cooperative, according to the report, but upon being advised of the implied consent law, became violent again and refused the test.
   She began to fight with officers, who got her into the hallway, where she began kicking, striking Ptl. McCall in the thighs, according to the report.
   Officers used strong hands to escort Godsey to the cruiser, where she resisted getting in the car and kicked Ptl. McCall again. After telling her to calm down and again being kicked, McCall advised her he was going to use a chemical agent if she did not stop resisting. She continued to kick and was subdued through use of the chemical agent.
   Godsey was transported to Carter County Jail where she was charged with driving on suspended license, DUI, violation of implied consent, four counts of assault after she also fought with jailers, resisting arrest and reckless endangerment.
   She currently is being held at the jail in observation cell. Her bond is set at $14,500.