WASHINGTON C.H. — A Greenfield woman is facing multiple charges after allegedly driving 94 miles per hour while intoxicated with her 8-year-old child in the vehicle and assaulting a police officer.
Rachael M. Hall, 41, was arrested in Washington C.H. on Friday evening for fourth-degree felony assault on a police officer and misdemeanor counts of endangering children, resisting arrest, obstructing official business and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. She was originally held in the Fayette County Jail on an $11,000 bond.
At approximately 7:30 p.m. Friday, Washington C.H. Police Department officer Jeffery Heinz observed a woman, later identified as Hall, pull out of the Rusty Keg parking lot onto Columbus Avenue where she reportedly began driving erratically, according to reports. The suspect’s vehicle turned onto SR 753, traveled over the white line and then swung far to the left, passing over the yellow line while making the turn.
The vehicle accelerated on 753 and quickly exceeded the posted speed limit of 55 miles per hour, reports said. The officer’s speed check clocked the vehicle traveling at 94 miles per hour a short time later. Heinz made a traffic stop on Hall’s vehicle on 753 at SR 22.
In his report, Heinz stated that he detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Hall’s breath and person. Hall allegedly refused to provide the officer any identification. Her child was sitting in the front passenger seat at the time of the traffic stop.
“The defendant was hampering and impeding my investigation by refusing to give me the ID,” Heinz wrote in his report. “At this point from the defendant’s actions, I felt the likelihood of the defendant trying to drive off were great. I reached into the vehicle and turned the vehicle off, and removed the key from the ignition.”
As Heinz began to place the keys on the dash above the instrument cluster, Hall allegedly grabbed his arm and yelled at him for taking the keys. Heinz then told her she was under arrest and attempted to remove her from the vehicle, according to reports.
Hall allegedly used her right leg and locked it between the steering wheel and floorboard. After being unable to remove Hall from the vehicle, Heinz used a taser in “drive stun” mode, which is intended to cause pain without incapacitating the individual. Hall responded by kicking Heinz in the chest, according to reports.
As Heinz continued to try to pull Hall from the vehicle, she allegedly punched him with a closed fist in the left side of the face. Heinz was finally able to get Hall out of the vehicle and handcuff her, reports said. With the help of another responding officer, Hall was placed inside the cruiser where she beat her head off the glass window before settling down, according to reports.
Police said Hall submitted to a breath test and her blood-alcohol content registered at .148. In Ohio, the legal limit for people over 21 years of age is .08.
Hall was transported to the Fayette County Jail where she remained incarcerated Tuesday afternoon. The child was picked up by a family member.
Hall appeared Monday in Washington Court House Municipal Court where she pled not guilty and requested a court-appointed attorney. A case hearing was set for 11:15 a.m. Monday.
Reach Ryan Carter at 740-313-0352 or on Twitter @rywica.
