Early Saturday morning, members of the Richmond Hill Police Department and Bryan County Sheriff's Department made a DUI arrest after a high speed car chase through Richmond Hill on Hwy. 17.
Here’s what happened according to the police report. At around 2 a.m., RHPD Corporal Jack Frost was dispatched to the Waffle House on Hwy. 17 regarding an intoxicated female causing a disturbance inside the restaurant.
Upon nearing the restaurant, Frost observed a vehicle leaving the Waffle House parking lot at a high rate of speed. He established through communication with the dispatch office that this was indeed the suspect.
Frost then followed the vehicle, which was swerving on highway 17 as it headed south. He attempted to initiate a traffic stop near Oak Hill Road by flipping on his lights and siren, but the vehicle sped up instead of stopping.
BCSD Deputy Brian McGuire joined in the chase near Daniel Siding Road, and Frost reported that the suspect was now traveling at over 100 miles per hour. Frost further reported that he was about to retreat near Cartertown Road seeing how he was outside the city limits and BCSD was now in pursuit. He reported that Liberty County authorities were contacted as well.
“I maintained visual contact with Deputy McGuire’s patrol unit and the suspect vehicle as the suspect vehicle attempted to exit onto Hwy. 196 at a high rate of speed,” said Frost in his report.
Frost then reportedly witnessed the suspect vehicle spin 360 degrees off the roadway as it attempted to make a quick turn. Frost then joined McGuire to secure the scene.
Frost further reports the suspect, 31-year-old Fleming resident Teela Moore, was taken into custody and began irately cursing at the officers while awaiting EMS and a wrecker service while sitting in the back of McGuire’s squad car. Frost also reports the suspect “appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.”
Moore allegedly refused a breath test, started kicking at the cage and windows of the squad car, and pulled her hands out of handcuffs.
EMS cleared Moore. As the wrecker service was loading the vehicle, an open container of beer and a dog were found in the suspect vehicle. The dog was turned over to Bryan County Animal Control.
Newly enlisted RHPD Officer Donnie Crosby, formerly of the Pembroke PD, arrived at the scene to help transport Moore and reportedly placed her in leg shackles as she continued to curse at the officers.
Frost took over the transport and reported that, during the drive to the jail, Moore hollered at him to “just shoot her” and that she “wanted us to crash and die”. Frost also reports discovering at the destination that she unbuckled her seatbelt and was stuck in the position of having “her feet on the roof and her hands behind her legs” after an alleged failed attempt to escape her restraints.
At the jail, Moore registered .74 on a breathalyzer test and was booked for DUI, fleeing and attempting to elude, failure to maintain lane, operating a vehicle while unlicensed, open container and reckless driving. She remains incarcerated at Bryan County jail on a $4,400 bond.