Officer cleared in death of lady lying in dirt road at night
By Lia Ganosellis
For The Herald

ALACHUA -- An Alachua police officer has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the death of a woman after accidentally running her over with his vehicle last July.

An investigation conducted by the Florida Highway Patrol found that Officer Chad Scott should not face criminal charges after running over Angela Tanner, of Wellborn, who was lying the middle of a dirt driveway at night.

“There certainly wasn’t any evidence that warrant any criminal charges be filed,” said Spencer Mann, spokesman for State Attorney Bill Cervone.

Scott was responding to a domestic disturbance call around 2 a.m. July 6 at 11605 Sage Blvd. in Alachua when, at the last minute, he noticed a green shirt in the road, according to a police report.

Scott, who said he was driving about 15 mph, attempted to steer left but was unable to avoid hitting Tanner, 33.

According to reports, Tanner had been drinking liquor with her fiance, Clyde Courtney, since about 10 a.m. the previous day at his mother’s house.

Clyde Courtney’s mother, Mary Courtney, called the police after Tanner “just went wacky,” and began to yell as she walked up and down the driveway, as her fiance described in the police report.

Clyde Courtney said Tanner was upset over the recent one-year anniversary of her father’s death, the report states.

Clyde Courtney followed Tanner to the driveway, where he found her lying facedown in the dirt, according to the report.

Tanner requested another drink, which Clyde Courtney went to retrieve after placing her head on her arms so her face wouldn’t be in the dirt.

Scott arrived at the house while Clyde Courtney was inside. According to the report, Scott stated that overgrown brush on either side of the driveway and a lack of outside lighting made it difficult to see Tanner lying in the road.

Tanner was pronounced dead at the scene around 2:20 a.m. July 6.

A post mortem examination determined Tanner’s probable cause of death was “multiple blunt traumatic injuries due to overrun by motor vehicle.”

A toxicology report measured her alcohol level at 0.28 – which would be 3.5 times the allowable limit if she were driving. A comprehensive drug screening returned negative.

Tanner and Clyde Courtney were planning to be married Aug. 17, 2008, on Mary Courtney’s birthday.

They had known each other for about four years.

“That shouldn’t have happened,” said Mary Courtney of the incident.

She answered the phone Tuesday at a number listed as Clyde Courtney’s. She didn’t offer further comment.