Woman who dragged deputy is deemed fit to stand trial

By Editor | June 26, 2019 |

A Springfield woman who allegedly dragged a county sheriff’s deputy while fleeing from a traffic stop has been deemed fit to stand trial.
Monroe McWard, the attorney for Adriana Brown, reported in court on Friday that Dr. Terry Killian, a forensic psychiatrist, had submitted a report after evaluating Brown.
“It (Killian’s report) says she’s fit (for trial),” McWard told Fayette County Resident Circuit Judge Don Sheafor.
Brown, 20, has been charged with aggravated battery, a Class 2 felony punishable by up to seven years in prison, for allegedly dragging deputy Ronnie Stevens while Stevens was conducting a traffic stop just south of the intersection of U.S. Route 51 and U.S. Route 40 on April 24 of last year.
Brown has also been charged with reckless conduct causing great bodily harm, aggravated fleeing causing bodily injury and obstruction of justice, all of which are Class 4 felonies punishable by up to three years in prison and/or a fine of up to $25,000.
At the time of the incident, Fayette County Sheriff Chris Smith said that as Stevens approached Brown’s car during the traffic stop, he smelled and observed narcotics, and asked the driver to give him what he saw.
During a struggle, according to the sheriff, Brown began driving, dragging Stevens down the roadway.
Stevens was able to free himself from the vehicle, despite being injured, and was able to contact the sheriff’s dispatcher and tell about the incident, his injuries and the direction of the vehicle fleeing from the scene.
Smith said that nearby residents and witnesses assisted Stevens by giving information and blocking traffic until an ambulance arrived.
Bond for Brown was set at $150,000.
In June of last year, Judge Don Sheafor ruled that there was sufficient evidence to have Brown undergo a behavorial clinical examination.
Brown had posted bond in May of last year, but she was returned to jail this spring when her bond was revoked due to an arrest in Springfield. Sheafor then set her bond at $200,000.
During Tuesday’s hearing, McWard asked Sheafor to set a date for a 402d conference, during which a judge would be involved in plea negotiations with McWard and Fayette County State’s Attorney Joshua Morrison, in attempt to resolve the case before a trial.
The judge involved in that conference could be Sheafor or Associate Judge Kevin Parker. New judicial assignments are effective July 1; Sheafor has been assigned to handle civil matters and Parker to criminal matters.