Woman Who Struck Cobb Sheriff's Deputies With Car Found Guilty But Mentally Ill

A Marietta woman who ran down two Cobb County sheriff’s deputies outside the county jail last year has been found guilty but mentally ill on all counts of the indictment against her, WSB-TV reports.

Candida Rychell Summerlin was indicted by a Cobb County grand jury in June of 2013 on 13 counts, including two counts each of malice murder, felony murder, hit-and-run, criminal damage to property in the first degree and aggravated assault on a police officer, and one count each of aggravated battery, fleeing from police and interference with government property.

Finding a defendant guilty but mentally ill in Georgia means that the defendant, “will be given over to the Department of Corrections or the Department of Human Resources, as the mental condition of the defendant may warrant,” according to the laws on the the books in the state.

The Marietta Daily Journal reported at the time that Summerlin originally faced 27 counts, but a grand jury decided to indict her on the 13 charges she was convicted of on Tuesday.

On May 31, 2013, Lt. Becky Westenberger was trying to talk to Summerlin, 32, about the loud music coming from her car, Cobb Chief Deputy Milton Beck told Patch that day. Westenberger asked Summerlin to move the blue 2012 Chevrolet Cruze from a parking space in front of the Cobb County Adult Detention Work Release Center to the public parking lot across the street.

After Summerlin backed out of the space, she allegedly “aimed the front of her car at Lt. Westenberger, revved up her engine repeatedly in a threatening manner, rapidly accelerated and purposely (ran) the car into Lt. Westenberger” with “the front bumper of the vehicle,” according to the warrant.

The impact sent Westenberger “airborne” and left her with bruises, cuts, abrasions and “a broken lower leg which must be surgically repaired,” according to the warrant.

Summerlin tried to drive away when Sgt. Shane Kite went to stop her, Beck said. Summerlin allegedly ignored his commands, crossed over the center of the lane and struck him in the legs and arms.

Everything was captured on jail security cameras, according to the warrant.

Both deputies were taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital with scrapes, bruises and other injuries.

“Sgt. Shane Kite was released (Friday) evening and was treated for minor injuries,” said Nancy Bodiford, a Cobb sheriff’s spokeswoman. “Lt. Becky Westenberger underwent surgery for her (broken) leg (Friday) night and is doing well.”

Authorities apprehended Summerlin when she lost control of her vehicle, ran over a couple of signs and hit the curb, Beck said. The axle on the car broke. Tires popped. And the car became disabled. Turns out, the car wasn’t Summerlin’s personal vehicle, but a rental from Hertz, according to the warrant.

Summerlin had just been released from the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on May 27 on charges that included simple battery and willful obstruction of a law enforcement officer.

Image Credit: Cobb County Sheriff’s Office