19-05-2025
Coweta County mom charged with DUI, endangering 2 children after high-speed chase
A Coweta County mother is charged with driving under the influence and leading deputies on a high-speed chase with two children inside her car.
According to an arrest report from the Coweta County Sheriff's Office, Nyriah Nichelle Johns, 28, was seen driving northbound on Interstate 85 on May 7.
A deputy wrote that a driver in a white Lexus was driving too closely to a tractor-trailer and wasn't staying in her lane.
Then, the Lexus driver changed lanes and 'began to rapidly accelerate.' The deputy also sped up to try and pull her over.
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However, the driver, later identified as Johns, did not stop and instead sped up more and started a chase.
After she reached speeds of 120 MPH, Johns continued to swerve and weave into several lanes, almost hit another vehicle before slowing down to about 60 miles per hour, the arrest report says.
Then, Johns got onto the shoulder and stopped as additional units arrived to assist.
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Deputies told Johns to get out of the car when she rolled down her window and put her hands outside.
When they told her again to get out, she 'continued to stare as if she didn't understand what we were saying,' the report says.
Deputies asked how many people were in the car and Johns said there were three people, including herself.
Eventually, deputies said she got out of the car and walked backwards toward one officer, who then handcuffed her.
'Johns immediately became irate and was placed into the back' of a patrol vehicle.
Dispatch told deputies at the scene that the vehicle's registration was expired from July 2023 in Louisiana. As deputies tried to get passengers out of the car, they got no response.
Johns told deputies that there 'may be children' in the car.
Deputies found two children in the backseat and removed them from the Lexus while a sergeant spoke to Johns, but she 'began arguing with him about the reason for the stop.'
When the sergeant tried to shut the patrol vehicle door, Johns blocked it with her foot. As the sergeant tried to push her leg into the vehicle, she hit the sergeant in the left side of the face with her foot before they got the door closed.
A deputy went to talk to Johns about the children in the car but she refused to give any information.
During this conversation, the deputy said he smelled 'a very strong smell of an alcoholic beverage coming from Johns' breath and asked how much she had to drink.'
She did not answer 'and continued to become more irate,' the deputy said in the arrest report. 'Her eyes were bloodshot and water and her face was flushed.'
Suspecting Johns 'was intoxicated due to her driving, her appearance her behavior,' the deputy went to her car and found a nearly empty bottle of tequila on the floor of the passenger seat.
Other deputies at the scene identified the children as Johns' 8-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old of Johns' friend.
The children contacted the other mother, who deputies asked to come down to the sheriff's office to pick up the two of them.
She told deputies that she and Johns are 'close friends' and that they take turn watching each other's kids.
While waiting for pickup, Johns' daughter told deputies at the sheriff's office that Johns had almost hit a tree during the drive earlier.
As Johns was taken into custody and processed at the sheriff's office, the other mother took the two children home, at Johns' request 'to take her child as well.'
Deputies said they could not perform a field sobriety test or a breathalyzer for Johns, but got her permission to do a blood test instead.
After the test, deputies described Johns' behavior as belligerent and irate, eventually placing her in an isolated cell, where she 'continued to scream and bang on the door.'
Johns faces charges of fleeing/attempting to elude police, obstruction of justice, alcohol DUI, two counts of endangering a child while DUI, speeding, failure to maintain lane, having expired registration and reckless driving.
Jail records show that as of Monday, Johns remains in custody without bond.
A tentative court date of Dec. 25 is currently on her jail record.
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