Face Plant Leads to Felony Charges

Elkhart Woman Arrested for Assaulting Police Officer

By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter

CROCKETT – Falling out of a car face first is not only embarrassing, it can also be painful. Assaulting a police officer shortly afterwards only adds to the unpleasantness, especially when felony charges are involved.

Such was the case on Tuesday afternoon, July 25, when 30-year-old Ashley Dawn Dendy was arrested for assaulting a public servant, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to an arrest report, Crockett Police Officer Andrew Allen was on patrol during the afternoon of July when he observed a black Ford Mustang parked on “… North Plant Road, which caught my attention because usually only city employees drive down that road.”

“Upon getting closer to the vehicle, I (Allen) observed a female fall face first out of the passenger side of the vehicle, appearing as if she may have been pushed out of the vehicle by the driver,” the report stated.

The car drove up a few inches, the report indicated, and the female – later identified as Dendy – picked herself up and got back into the vehicle, which began to drive away.

“I then stopped the vehicle to investigate the suspicious activity and possible physical disturbance,” Allen stated in the arrest report.

Allen approached the vehicle and asked both the driver and Dendy what was going on, the report stated. The officer then requested the identification of the driver.

The driver was identified as Marco Gonzalez and when his identification was run through Houston County Communications “… it was determined that he did not have a valid driver’s license.

Gonzalez was placed under arrest for driving without a valid license and an inventory of the vehicle was started.

While conducting the vehicle inventory, Allen found a marijuana grinder in the center console of the Mustang with marijuana residue inside it. He also found a pipe used for smoking marijuana between the driver’s seat and the console, along with an open alcohol container under the passenger seat, the report stated.

When asked who the paraphernalia belonged to, both Gonzalez and Dendy denied ownership. As a result, Dendy was then placed under arrest.

The report indicated Dendy was able to slip out of her handcuffs on two occasions as she was being placed into the back of Allen’s patrol vehicle.

“We then placed two sets of handcuffs on her and attempted to handcuff her to the grill separating the front and back seats of my vehicle. While doing this, Dendy kicked me in the leg and then kicked me in the testicles causing severe pain. Dendy then kicked me in the stomach several times,” according to the report.

Once Dendy was secured, she was transported to the Houston County Jail, however, “… she refused to get out of my patrol car and had to be pulled out. We then had to physically pull her inside the jail. After getting her into the jail, she continued to resist and we had to place her in a restraint chair.”

Dendy was booked into custody on charges of assaulting a public servant, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Gonzalez was booked into custody on charges of driving without a valid driver’s license, possession of drug paraphernalia and for having an open container of alcohol.  All three charges are considered Class C misdemeanors.

Assaulting a public servant is considered a third degree felony. According to Section 12.34 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 10 years or less than two years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the third degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”

Resisting arrest is considered a Class A misdemeanor. According to Section 12.21 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a Class A misdemeanor shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $4,000; confinement in jail for a term not to exceed one year; or both such fine and confinement.”

Under Section 12.23 of the Texas Penal Code, Class C misdemeanors are punishable by a fine of up to $500. Gonzalez posted bond the next day and was released. Dendy is still held at the Houston County Jail on a total bond of $25,352.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].

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