Woman charged with striking bicyclist, fleeing scene of wreck
A local woman was arrested on multiple charges late Wednesday after allegedly striking and injuring a bicyclist with her vehicle while driving while intoxicated and on her phone and then fleeing the scene.
Jennifer Dean Tilford,
49, who lists a Ledgerwood
Road address, was taken into custody shortly before 11:30 p.m. and charged with felony counts of second-degree battery, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury, punishable by up to six years, and misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated, first offense, possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, and driving on a suspended license.
Tilford, who lists no prior criminal history, was also cited for using a wireless phone for interactive communication while driving, first offense, refusal to submit to a chemical test, driving an unsafe vehicle, no liability insurance, and careless and prohibited driving.
She was later released on an $8,000 bond and is set to appear on Aug. 4 in Garland County District Court.
According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly after 11 p.m., Hot Springs police Officer Jason Greene saw a white 2011 BMW sedan driving south in the 500 block of Higdon Ferry Road and noted it had a “badly smashed” windshield making it unsafe for operation. As he followed it, he noted the driver was “unable to maintain a lane” and the car was “smoking badly” from its underside.
He stopped the car at the intersection of Higdon Ferry and McGowan Street and made contact with the driver, identified as Tilford, who was “hysterical,” and spontaneously uttered she “might have hit someone,” the affi