CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The stepmother of the woman injured during a high-speed police pursuit in Deep Creek on Black Friday gave 13News Now an update on her condition Monday as she recovers in the hospital.
LeeAnne Knapp said her stepdaughter, Jessica Garrison's, life changed after her vehicle was struck during a police chase in the Deep Creek area.
"She is so grateful she didn't bring the kids. I can't emphasize that enough," Knapp said.
Knapp said Jessica is a wife and mother of four. After the crash, medics brought Garrison to the hospital for emergency surgery. She suffered multiple cuts, a broken left wrist, and had to get part of her bowel removed.
According to police, the chase started after police attempted to pull over 23-year-old Derron Omar Williams Jr. for both failing to maintain his travel lane and a registration violation on Military Highway South. That was near Interstate 464.
Since the start of the year, at least eight pursuits involving Chesapeake police officers have ended in a crash.
"I was on [the] grand jury, and there is a point. There was a point where police officers stopped pursuing because of the danger to the community," said Knapp. "Stop pursuing when there's lots of cars around."
Knapp said Jessica's husband and kids miss her, and that Jessica is worried about what her future will entail after the crash.
"I want her to be healed," her stepmother said.
Knapp has started a GoFundMe for Jessica, with hope that it can help her get her life back on track.