Byrd arrested for child endangerment

A Black Nissan Altima traveling toward LaFollette caught the eye of LaFollette Police Officer Cory Lawson on Tuesday evening.    When the vehicle swerved across the broken line into the left lane and then back again on West Central Avenue, Lawson began to watch the driver. The Altima again crossed the broken line into the left lane almost hitting another vehicle prompting Lawson to stop the vehicle near the Corner Market at 13^th Street. When he began to talk with the driver, who was later identified as Mistic L Byrd, he noticed she allegedly appeared confused and told him she couldn’t see well at night. Lawson had to ask her several times for her license, registration and proof of insurance, the report said.

Mistic Byrd faces multiple charges including DUI

Byrd appeared to be having trouble answering his questions. She was asked to step out of the vehicle.  When Byrd did she was allegedly unsteady, using the side of her vehicle to maintain balance, according to the report.

Lawson attempted to administer field sobriety tests, and Byrd was unable to keep her head up. Her excuse to Lawson was she had recently had Botox in her head, the report said. She told the officer she couldn’t walk or maintain balance after walking from her car, the report said.

Byrd denied having anything illegal in the car, but Lawson reminded her, she had a suboxone wrapper in plain sight inside the vehicle. Byrd later allegedly admitted taking it prior to the traffic stop.  A search of the vehicle revealed several pill bottles with prescription pills inside the defendant’s purse, some of which had different names on the bottles. Byrd’s child was in the vehicle with her at the time of the traffic stop.

Byrd, 44, 431 Welch Street, Jellico is charged with roadway laned for travel, driver’s to exercise due care, failure to carry/exhibit driver’s license, violation of registration law, violation of TN financial law, driving under the influence (DUI), violation of implied consent law, possession of prescription drug without a prescription, child endangerment, failure to carry registration and possession of a schedule V controlled substance. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/07/2018-6AM-PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CCSD)