The woman who rammed her car into two Cobb County deputies was sentenced Monday to 61 years, including 31 years behind bars, the District Attorney said.
In September, Candida Rychell Summerlin, 34, was found guilty, but mentally ill, in the May 2013 assaults outside the Cobb jail, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported. On May 31, 2013, Summerlin was inside a blue Chevrolet rental car in the jail's parking lot when she was asked to turn down her loud music, according to investigators.
When she was warned the second time, Summerlin drove away, first striking Lt. Becky Westenberger with her car and then Sgt. Shane Kite, who was running to assist Westenberger, police previously said. Both deputies survived the assault, which was captured on surveillance videos at the jail.
Westenberger, who has a permanent rod and four pins in her leg, spoke during Monday’s sentencing, DA Vic Reynolds’ office said.
“I wake up every morning thanking God for sparing my life,” Westenberger said. “She gave me my life sentence.”
Summerlin apologized in court for her actions, Reynolds said.
“But for the grace of God we’re not here for a murder sentencing,” Reynolds told the court. “I see no difference than if Ms. Summerlin had taken a gun and shot the officers, or a knife and stabbed them. This time, the choice of weapon just happened to be a vehicle.”
At trial in September, Summerlin’s defense attorneys argued that she suffers from bipolar disorder and did not know right from wrong at the time of the attack.
Jurors convicted Summerlin on 13 charges, including two counts of criminal attempt to commit malice murder, two counts of criminal attempt to commit felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer, one count of aggravated battery, two counts of hit and run, one count of fleeing or eluding a peace officer, two counts of criminal damage to property, and one count interference with government property.
Summerlin will serve the remaining 30 years of her sentence on probation.
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