Athens woman faces charges after hitting patrol car and burglary attempt

An Athens woman was arrested early Wednesday after crashing into a patrol vehicle and attempting to steal a car in the Lester community near the Alabama-Tennessee state line.

According to the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 3:30 a.m. July 30 to a report of a suspicious woman in the 29000 block of Lester Road. They found 43-year-old Bethany Paige Thornton Garcia inside a garage trying to steal a vehicle.

When confronted, Garcia refused to comply and attempted to escape. Sheriff says that Garcia hit a Giles County patrol vehicle twice before crashing through the garage wall, causing significant property damage and disabling the patrol car.

Garcia was taken into custody without further incident. She now faces charges including Driving Under the Influence (DUI), Burglary in the 3rd Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the 1st Degree.

“This could have ended much worse, and I’m proud of how our deputies and the Giles County team handled a volatile situation with professionalism and restraint. Their quick actions prevented further danger to the community. We’re grateful for our strong partnership with Giles County and thankful no one was hurt,” Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin said.