A local woman originally charged with driving while intoxicated involving drugs after allegedly running over an 80-year-old man in a restaurant parking lot in August was charged Monday with felony battery in the incident.
Cheryl Marie Medlock, 54, who lists an Albert Pike Road address, was taken into custody shortly after 1:30 p.m. Monday and charged with second-degree battery, punishable by up to six years in prison.
She remained in custody Tuesday in lieu of $10,000 bond and is set to appear today in Garland County District Court.
Medlock was originally charged with misdemeanor counts of DWI-drugs, inattentive driving and violation of driver's license restrictions at the time of her arrest Aug. 19 after she allegedly struck Alan McCaskill, 80, in the parking lot of McDonald's, 3101 Albert Pike. She was released later that same day on $1,000 bond.
She pleaded not guilty to all the misdemeanor charges on Sept. 9 in district court and is set to stand trial Nov. 6.
According to the probable cause affidavits, on Aug. 19, shortly before 9:30 a.m., Garland County sheriff's Deputy Justin Parker responded to McDonald's regarding a motor vehicle accident in which Medlock, driving a beige Nissan Murano, reportedly ran over McCaskill.
Piney Fire Department Chief Scott Miser told The Sentinel-Record at the scene Murano had pulled into an empty parking space where the victim was standing and ran over his legs. Several bystanders reportedly witnessed the incident.
The victim was transported by LifeNet to an area hospital for treatment. The affidavit states that on Oct. 2 sheriff's investigators obtained medical records that showed McCaskill's shoulder was dislocated and he had multiple fractures to his shoulder joints. He also had lacerations and crushing injuries to his lower extremities, all of which required a "multiple-day hospital stay" and at least a month of physical therapy and wound care.
Parker noted that as he spoke to Medlock after the incident he observed she was "sweating profusely" and "extremely fidgety." He noted she had bruxism, where she was "chewing on the inside of her cheeks and grinding her teeth back and forth," and she was continuously moving her head in "a sporadic and manic fashion" and rocking back and forth.
While retrieving her ID, Medlock reached into her purse and removed a glasses case and when she opened the case she allegedly pulled out a plastic wrapper that contained a small amount of marijuana and said, "Oops!"
Parker conducted five field sobriety tests, which Medlock reportedly failed, showing indications of being under the influence of something. Parker then had her open her mouth and he noted her tongue had a green tint across its entire surface. Medlock claimed she had not eaten that morning and only drank coffee.
She was taken into custody at that time on suspicion of DWI-drugs and taken to the detention center where Parker then performed a drug recognition evaluation. The affidavit notes Parker obtained a copy of McDonald's security video, which reportedly showed the Nissan Murano striking a pedestrian in the parking lot.
After further investigation, a warrant for the battery charge was issued for Medlock on Oct. 3 and she was taken into custody Monday at district court.
Local on 10/30/2019