DOYLINE — A driver who fled the scene of a crash on foot because “she wasn’t going back to jail” was arrested on multiple charges.
Bridgette Watson, 39, of the 200 block of Roy Hale Drive in Doyline, was arrested for driving while intoxicated (first offense), careless operation, resisting an officer by flight, failure to report an accident, resisting an officer by force and vehicular neglect injury.
The crash occurred just after 10 p.m. Tuesday on Louisiana Highway 163 near Lakeview Drive in Doyline.
Before deputies arrived on the scene, witnesses said one of the passengers wearing a dark colored shirt and blue jeans fled the scene and headed toward Palmetto Drive.
Once at the scene, Deputy Marshall Merritt made contact with an individual, later identified as Watson, in the 100 block of Palmetto Drive. Watson had blood on her clothes and minor injuries to her right elbow and back of her head, according to the arrest affidavit.
Once Merritt made contact with Watson, she reportedly said, “she wasn’t going back to jail” and began walking away from the deputy.
After a brief struggle, Merritt was able to place Watson in handcuffs until the crash could be investigated, the report said.
Witnesses on the scene identified Watson as the driver when the crash occurred, according to the report. After receiving medical treatment, Watson was placed under arrest.
Watson’s speech was slurred and deputies could smell a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath and person, the report said. She also reportedly had trouble maintaining balance and could not walk a straight line.
After being arrested, Watson reportedly refused to submit a breath sample or conduct a standard field sobriety test.
A second passenger in the vehicle was transported to Minden Medical Center for unknown injuries.