Man tried to stop girlfriend from driving impaired, cops say. He was run over, killed
A Midlands woman is behind bars after hitting her boyfriend with his minivan and killing him, the Sumter Police Department said Wednesday.
On May 13, 69-year-old John Elva Tisdale tried to stop his girlfriend, 54-year-old Janie Delores Jones, from driving impaired and leaving a School Street home, police said in a news release.
Rather than stop, Jones hit Tisdale with his own vehicle, police spokeswoman Tonyia McGirt said.
After the crash, Jones was stopped at the scene by a passerby who also helped Tisdale until officers and other first responders arrived, according to the release.
Tisdale was taken to Prisma Health Tuomey, before being transferred to a Richland County hospital where he died on May 18, McGirt said.
Jones was initially charged with assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature. But after an autopsy showed the injuries Tisdale suffered after getting run over contributed to his death, Jones’ charge was upgraded to reckless vehicular homicide, police said.
After she was arrested, Jones was taken to the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center, where she remains behind bars after her bond was set at $20,000, jail records show.
In spite of the charge, police continue to investigate the incident.
Jones was not charged with any DUI-related crimes, in part because the collision happened on private property, McGirt said. She added that reckless homicide charge can cover a number of offenses.
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This story was originally published May 26, 2021 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Man tried to stop girlfriend from driving impaired, cops say. He was run over, killed."
