62 year old Vera McGowen Scott (right) answers a question from her attorney, Cecil Burg (Judge Tom Brown pictured at left).
Woman Who Slammed Deputy from Behind Found Guilty of DWI, LIVINGSTON, May 13, 2016 - A 62 year old Corrigan woman was found guilty by a Polk County Jury on Friday (05/13) of driving while intoxicated. On July 3rd of 2015, then 61 year old Vera McGowen Scott was south-bound on US-59 and was driving very erratically. Trooper Donny Akers was on duty and attempted a traffic stop on Scott who would not stop for him. She drove up behind a south-bound Polk County Deputy (Jacob Hopper) and slammed him from behind before losing control and sliding off the road where her Ford F-150 crashed. Scott opted to take the case to trial, rather than plead guilty to the charge. A blood test that was processed by the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab showed that Scott's blood/alcohol content was .104 (.08 is legally intoxicated). Scott's attorney, Cecil Berg argued that when medical personnel used an alcohol soaked swab to clean Scott's Arm to use a syringe then it upped her blood's alcohol content. A specialist from the DPS crime lab argued that tests on 50 people in regards to that specific possibility showed that an alcohol soaked swab used before a syringe has no significant impact on a person's blood/alcohol content. Prosecutor, Polk County Assistant DA, RaChell Hunt pointed out to the jury that the two blood samples obtained and tested by DPS show irrefutable truth that Scott was guilty. She urged the jury to find Scott Guilty. After closing arguments, the jury took less than an hour to find Scott guilty of driving while intoxicated. Punishment phase of the trial will come at a later date.
Original Story Below
The driver of this 2010 Ford F-150 slid off the pavement of 59 just south of the Livingston City Limits after striking a Sheriff's vehicle from behind.
Low Blood Sugar AND Drinking, Driver Rams Sheriff's Unit, Crashes, LIVINGSTON, July 3, 2015 - At approximately 4:15 pm on July 3, 2015, reports to the Polk County Sheriff's Office came in about a vehicle that was south-bound on 59 in Seven Oaks and driving erratically. According to witnesses, the driver was swerving from one side of the pavement to the other. Trooper Donny Akers with the Texas Highway Patrol was on duty and caught up with the erratic driver about a mile north of Livingston. The vehicle was a red 2010 Ford F-150. When Trooper Akers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver kept driving. A pursuit ensued. The chase continued on US-59 south through Livingston. Deputy Jacob Hopper was just ahead of the chase and the erratic driver, Vera McGowen Scott, 61, of Corrigan, came up behind Hopper at a high rate of speed and slammed hopper from behind. The collision caused Scott to leave the pavement to the right and slide up to the woodline off the highway where her vehicle came to rest. By now, Officers from Livingston Police Department, Deputies from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, and other Troopers began to pull up to the scene. Vera Scott emerged from her vehicle with no major injuries. Scott was suffering from low blood sugar (a problem for people who have diabetes). To make matters worse, Scott had been drinking prior to driving, and according to tests, she was legally intoxicated. Scott was checked at the scene by EMS personnel and transported by ambulance to CHI Livingston Memorial Hospital. Vera Scott was charged with driving while intoxicated. Traffic on the south-bound side of 59 was partially blocked during investigation and cleanup. A rollback wrecker from LakeView Towing recovered Scott's vehicle and it will be stored in Livingston. A rollback wrecker from Ken's Towing recovered Deputy Hopper's Vehicle and was taken to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
The vehicle slammed into the back of Deputy Jacob Hopper's patrol unit so hard that it bent the frame. The doors on the unit are jammed and wont open (notice the gape between the top of the back door, and the back half of the unit).
61 year old Vera McGowen Scott, of Corrigan, sits on the tailgate of her truck and speaks with emergency personnel.
Deputy Jacob Hopper (right) complained of minor pain from the collision (also pictured is Deputy Cody Hardy).
Scott was transported to CHI Livingston Memorial Hospital. She was charged with drivng while intoxicated.
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