A 59-year-old Springville woman is scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court Jan. 11 following a Dec. 27 arrest on a handful of charges after allegedly battering a public safety official, resisting law enforcement, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Darra Michelle Ellis was arrested Dec. 27 on charges of battery against a public safety official, a Level 6 Felony; battery by bodily waste when the victim is a public safety officer, a Level 6 Felony; resisting law enforcement, a Class A Misdemeanor; refusal to aid an officer, a Class B Misdemeanor; and operating a vehicle while intoxicated – first offense and no endangerment, a Class C Misdemeanor. 

Greene County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Jordan Allor responded to a report of an alleged theft of a dog on Price Lane in Springville on Dec. 27. While taking the report, according to the probable cause affidavit, the reporting party pointed out Ellis, who was turning off of South State Road 45 onto South Price Lane in a Toyota Rav4. The reporting party alleged Ellis was driving under the influence of alcohol. 

The vehicle came to a stop behind Allor’s and Ellis exited. Allor asked her what had happened and while she explained what had happened with the dog, according to the probable cause affidavit, Allor detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath. He wrote he also noticed slurred speech, unsteady balance, and glassy eyes. Allor asked Ellis how much she’d had to drink, to which she alleged a couple of shots – probably two – of vodka. 

According to the probable cause affidavit, Allor had Ellis perform one portion of the standardized field sobriety test but due to the location, further tests were not performed. Ellis failed the test. Allor asked Ellis to submit to a portable breath test; however, she alleged she did not know if she wanted to. After talking with Allor further, Ellis submitted to the test with a result of .208, more than twice the legal limit. 

Ellis, per the probable cause, submitted to a chemical test and was transported to the Greene County Sheriff’s Department for further testing. 

Once at the sheriff’s department, Allor unbuckled her seatbelt, but according to the probable cause, Ellis held the seatbelt down with her wrist so it would not retract. When told she needed to lift her hands up, she allegedly lifted them up in a jerking motion, then reached toward Allor as if she was going to hit him. Allor informed Ellis that if she hit him, she would have additional charges added. After exiting the vehicle, Ellis was instructed to step to the side. Instead, she allegedly stepped toward Allor, raised her arms, and hit him with her hands on his duty belt. 

Allor wrote in the probable cause affidavit that no standardized field sobriety tests were conducted at the sheriff’s office due to Ellis’s attitude and previous actions. Allor applied for and was granted a search warrant for a blood draw. Allor placed a copy of the search warrant in front of Ellis and read it to her. Per the probable cause, she said “nope”, making it clear she was not going to allow her blood to be drawn. 

According to the probable cause affidavit, Ellis was informed she could allow the blood draw or she would have to be restrained. Ellis was asked several times if she would allow the draw, to which she replied no. 

According to the probable cause affidavit, Ellis was sitting in a restraint and as Allor attempted to remove her handcuffs, she threatened to kick him in the testicles. Ellis clinched her hands together, preventing Allor from removing the handcuffs. The assistant jail commander held one hand so Allor could remove the handcuffs. During that time, per the probable cause, Deputy Michael Stanley held her legs to prevent her from kicking. 

Ellis continued to resist officers. While Allor was helping the assistant jail commander remove Ellis’s coat, per the probable cause, Ellis placed her open mouth on Allor’s hand and attempted to bite him. He wrote in the document that once her teeth touched his hand, he pulled it away before she could bite down. 

After much resisting, a small amount of blood was drawn. According to the probable cause affidavit, as a paramedic was placing gauze on her arm, Allor saw Ellis spit toward the paramedic. A spit mask was placed on Ellis to prevent her from spitting on anyone else. The paramedic attempted to find another vein to draw but was unable as Ellis would not stay still. The paramedic, per the probable cause, recommended transporting Ellis to the hospital for the draw. 

Once at the Greene County General Hospital, according to the probable cause, Ellis told the phlebotomist, “You are not going to have any better luck over here, I will make sure of it”. It was determined the blood draw would have to come from Ellis’s hand instead of her arm. While the phlebotomist was attempting the draw, Ellis allegedly rocked back and forth in the wheelchair trying to prevent the draw. Although Ellis allegedly resisted throughout the draw, the phlebotomist was able to get a sufficient amount of blood for a sample with two draws, one in each hand. 

Ellis was transported to Greene County Jail where her bond was set at $13,500 surety with 10% cash allowed. 

She was originally scheduled to appear in Greene Superior Court on Jan. 3 for an initial hearing, but it was rescheduled to Jan. 11.