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On the evening of Wednesday, Oct. 3, a Lee resident was arrested and later contained with additional restraints after forcefully fighting Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) deputies.
According to a report from Maj. David Harper of the MCSO, on Wednesday, Oct. 3, at approximately 9:28 p.m., MCSO Deputy Roy Miller observed the driver of a blue Chevrolet sedan (later identified as Joslyn Rena Richards, 36, of Lee) commit two separate traffic violations in the area of County Road 255 and Magnolia Dr., in Lee. Richards turned west onto US Hwy. 90 and accelerated to 60 miles per hour. Deputy Miller attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Richards ignored his attempt and increased her speed to 85 miles per hour in an attempt to flee and elude.
Deputy Miller initiated pursuit with his emergency lights and siren activated and requested assistance from other units. Richards continued to actively flee west on US Hwy. 90 at a high rate of speed for several miles before turning south onto Rollercoaster Hill Rd. and then west onto Old County Camp Rd. Richards abruptly stopped her vehicle in front of 1215 SW Old County Camp Rd., also known as “The Valley” and exited her car. Deputy Miller immediately took Richards into custody and placed her in the back of his patrol vehicle.
While in the back of the patrol vehicle, Richards began to forcefully kick the windows. Deputy Miller and Deputy Anthony Land removed Richards from the patrol vehicle in an attempt to apply additional restraints. Richards began to actively resist the deputies by attempting to bite them and then spitting on both Deputy Miller and Deputy Land.
The deputies maintained control over Richards and were able to transport her to the Madison County Jail without further incident. Richards was charged with fleeing/attempting to elude, resisting an officer with violence, assault/battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer without violence (continued) and expired drivers license more than six months.