Clearwater Police arrested a 21-year-old Palm Harbor woman early today after she assaulted a firefighter-paramedic.
Ashley Cochran of 701 Rolling Hills Drive was involved in a minor, single-vehicle crash just before midnight Sunday at Fort Harrison Avenue and Mohawk Street. She struck several street signs and ran into a power pole, causing power lines to fall and triggering a small power outage in the area.
Officers who talked to her noticed she smelled like alcohol; she admitted she had been drinking. After consenting to a blood draw at the scene, she became angry and grabbed the Clearwater Fire & Rescue firefighter-paramedic by the arm and then began to swing her arms at him. She yelled, “You don’t know what I have been through” as she did this.
The suspect eventually was subdued and taken into custody. She remains in the Pinellas County Jail this morning on $5,000 bail on the felony battery charge.
Any potential DUI charge will be pending the results of the blood tests.
Source: City of Clearwater Public Safety
