45-year-old Courtenay Jernigan.
A Lansdale woman is facing charges after she allegedly crashed into a metal fence in Hatfield Township, then assaulted police who were attempting to take her into custody.
According to the criminal complaint, Hatfield Township Police were dispatched to the CVS along the 1500 block of Cowpath Road on Sept. 20 at 6:24 p.m. for a report of a motor vehicle accident. Dispatch advised police that a female driver had possibly struck a building, and appeared to be passed out behind the steering wheel.
Upon arrival, police made contact with the driver—identified as 45-year-old Courtenay Jernigan—and asked if she was okay, to which she allegedly replied “are you okay,” the report states. Though Jernigan reportedly denied that she had consumed alcohol, the report states that there was a strong odor of alcohol on her breath and her person. Additionally, the report states that police observed an open pill bottle on the driver’s seat with a large amount of Tramadol and Clonazepam. Jernigan had a prescription for the Tramadol, but police were unable to locate a prescription for the Clonazepam, according to the report.
Police then assisted Jernigan out of the vehicle and asked her to perform field sobriety tests, to which she agreed, the report states. However, Jernigan refused to let go of her phone during the tests, and then became aggressive towards police, at which point they detained her without further incident, according to the complaint.
Once Jernigan was in custody, police allegedly found a drinking cup in the vehicle that had alcohol in it, as well as an open bottle of Bankers Club Vodka located on the front passenger seat, police said. As police were attempting to conduct a search of her person, Jernigan allegedly said “get the f**k out of my pockets” and then kicked one of the officers in the groin, according to the complaint.
Jernigan was then placed into the rear of the patrol car, where she continued to state that she was not drinking and requested her lawyer, the report states. Asked if she would consent to a blood test, Jernigan again requested her attorney, according to the report.
The on-scene crash investigation revealed that Jernigan’s vehicle had struck a metal fence on the west side of the building, causing minor damage to the passenger-side of the front bumper, according to the report. The vehicle then reversed towards a row of parking stalls and struck a row of stone pavers that were bordering the parking lot, police said.
As a result of the incident, Jernigan has been charged with one felony count of aggravated assault, as well as misdemeanor counts of DUI, sale of a controlled substance and restrictions on alcoholic beverages.
Jernigan was arraigned on Sept. 21 by Magisterial District judge Paul Leo, who set bail at $25,000 cash. She was then remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post bail. Her next court appearance is a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge Ed Levine on Oct. 10 at 2:15 p.m.
(Editor’s note: All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause, and reflects the point of view of the police. Should the defendant choose to issue a public statement, or is later found not guilty or has the charges dropped, we will update this article accordingly.)
See also:
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Fugitive Who Stole $15,000 In Walmart Electronics Captured Over Weekend: Police
