Last Friday morning, March 22, Independence County Sheriff Shawn Stephens reported to dispatch he was out with an accident at Harrison and Boswell.
Later, he advised it was not an accident, but an intentional aggravated assault.
In court documents, the sheriff said he witnessed one of the vehicles pushing the other vehicle down the roadway. Stephens said the suspect vehicle was being operated by Cortney Joy Roberson, 33. He noted he saw Roberson’s vehicle push the other vehicle from behind, approximately 200 feet before pushing it off the roadway.
The sheriff advised when the vehicle went off the roadway, Roberson exited her vehicle and ran to the passenger side of the second vehicle, trying to open the door where a female was sitting.
The court documents said Roberson then went to the driver’s door and began to assault the driver, identified as Kendrick Roddy.
Roberson later stated to authorities that both the vehicles belonged to her, and she was tired of Roddy “getting into trouble” and did not want him to get into trouble driving without a driver’s license.
Roberson added she was following the vehicle trying to get Roddy to stop when he slammed on the brakes causing her vehicle to hit the one Roddy was driving.
Roberson also said she was married to Roddy, and that the female sitting in the second car was Crystal Stephens, Roddy’s girlfriend, according to the court documents.
When authorities told Roberson Sheriff Stephens had witnessed part of the incident, court documents noted Roberson then stated after she hit the rear end of the vehicle Roddy was driving, she then continued to push the vehicle because she “just wanted them off the road!”
Roddy and Crystal Stephens told authorities Roberson had been steadily rear-ending their vehicle while they were traveling down the road. Sheriff Stephens said Roddy had to be removed from the vehicle by medical personnel and placed on a stretcher with neck braces. The two were transported by ambulance to the White River Medical Center.
Roberson has been charged in Independence County Circuit Court with three felonies: aggravated assault on a household member, aggravated assault, and domestic battering in the second degree.
Roberson’s bond was set at $10,000.
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