On Wednesday last week at approximately 5:47 p.m., Officer Jacob Van Trump, attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a Gold Chrysler Town and Country traveling southbound on Westchester Drive.

The vehicle wasn’t maintaining its lane and swerving into the oncoming lane, where other cars were traveling northbound. When the vehicle turned right onto Westchester Drive it took the turn too loose and went into the oncoming turn lane.

Deputy Van Trump followed the vehicle, and when the vehicle crossed the center line on Westchester Drive, between the intersections of Peavine and Westchester and Norwich Terrace and Westchester, Deputy Van Trump activated lights and sirens and tried to conduct a traffic stop.

After running the license plate through dispatch and the plate returned to a Linda Evangelista, Van Trump said he tried to stop the vehicle for about 1 and a half miles with lights and sirens activated, but to no effect.

The vehicle didn’t stop and a pursuit was initiated while crossing the dam before the intersection of Hawes Circle, Nesbit Cross, and Westchester. The driver’s behavior was putting other vehicles on the roadway in immediate danger. While following the vehicle and during the pursuit, the vehicle crossed the center line multiple times and even left the roadway on the right of the road causing sparks to come up from her undercarriage.

The pursuit lasted another 1.3 miles and the top speed reached during the pursuit was 49 miles per hour. CCSO Deputies along with Sergeant D. Hammons and Officer N. Brendel were also on their way to assist.

The vehicle would eventually come to a stop at Prestonwood Drive and a felony, or high risk, stop was initiated.

Deputy Van Trump drew and aimed his duty weapon at the vehicle and driver, and gave commands to the driver. Deputy Van Trump said the felony stop was due to his safety, not knowing what the driver would do after having been in pursuit.

The deputy had the driver roll the window gave the order to stay in the car, and had the driver remove the keys from the ignition and place both hands out where he could see them. After ordering the driver to drop the keys onto the ground, to which the driver complied, he ordered the driver to keep their hands outside of the vehicle again as they withdrew their hands and then ordered the driver to step out of the vehicle.

The driver stepped out, but she was ordered multiple times to face away from the deputy and repeatedly ordered her to keep her hands up. Sergeant D. Hammons and Officer N. Brendel of the Crossville Police Department then arrived on the scene, utilized their Tasers, and painted the female with them.

Sgt. Hammons then took over the stop, ordering her to walk backward towards us having to remind her to keep her hands up. Sgt. Hammons then placed her female in handcuffs. As she was being handcuffed, Brendel and Deputy Van Trump noticed the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from her and the vehicle.

Once she was in handcuffs, Evangelista was read her Miranda Rights and was placed under arrest for Felony Evading Arrest. Standardized
Field Sobriety Tests were conducted, but Evangelista wasn’t following directions and was asked if she had suffered any brain trauma to which she replied that she had as well as back issues.

Deputy Van Trump said he was unable to perform the Walk and Turn test properly as, despite saying she understood the instructions, Evangelista wouldn’t place her feet heel to toe. She would repeat this pattern for the rest of the tests, at one point staring and smiling at Deputy Van Trump while she was supposed to be looking at her raised foot and counting.

This investigation led the deputy to place Linda under arrest for Driving Under the Influence as well.

An opened bottle of an alcoholic beverage was also found inside the vehicle.

Evangelista was placed in the rear passenger seat of Unit 123 and taken to the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Intake for booking, and a search warrant was obtained for her blood.

Evangelista would be charged with Evading Arrest, Driving Under The Influence, Failure to Maintain Lane, and Open Container.