Woman Accused of Hitting Cobb Sheriff's Deputies Faces 27 Charges

The driver accused of striking two Cobb County Sheriff's Office deputies Friday afternoon faces 27 charges in connection with the incident.

Candida Rychell Summerlin of Marietta is in the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond on charges that include four counts of aggravated assault; two counts of willful obstruction of a law enforcement officer; two counts of reckless conduct; two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude a police oficer for a felony offense; two counts of failure to obey a person directing traffic; two counts of misdemeanor hit-and-run; two counts of felony hit-and-run; two counts of interference with government property; one count of aggressive driving; one count of making an improper turn; one count of failure to maintain lane; one count of driving on the wrong side of the roadway; one count of criminal trespass; one count of reckless driving; one count of criminal damage to property in the first degree; and one count of aggravated battery. 

She also faces a charge in connection with a driver's license violation, according to online jail records and a Cobb County criminal warrant. 

About 1 p.m. Friday, Lt. Becky Westenberger was trying to talk to Summerlin, 32, about the loud music coming from her car, Col. 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 was just 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.

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