A woman was arrested after she allegedly drove through a COVID-19 vaccination site in eastern Tennessee yelling “no vaccine,” according to authorities and witnesses.
Police said the suspect, Virginia Christine Lewis Brown, on Monday, allegedly drove her vehicle “at a high rate of speed” through a vaccination tent that was set up in Maryville, Tennessee.
The Blount County Sheriff’s Office said that Brown, 36, was arrested and charged with seven counts of felony reckless endangerment, according to a statement posted Thursday.
“Two Blount County Sheriff’s deputies who were working at the site witnessed Ms. Brown speed through the coned section and through the enclosed vaccine tent in a Chrysler Pacifica,” the statement said. “The deputies reported that Ms. Brown did not stop at the check-in area at the entrance of the tent but continued through the tent at a high rate of speed, then exited the tent and out of the parking lot.”
Witnesses told deputies that the woman was allegedly yelling “no vaccines” when she drove by them, narrowly missing several, reported WSMV.
The woman was arrested after a deputy followed her after she drove through the vaccine site.
Deputies said that Brown, as she sat in the back of a squad car, made several statements to officials about how she wanted to protest the COVID-19 vaccine, WSMV reported. Brown also claimed she was only driving 5 mph when she went through the tent.
“I had several victims tell me she almost hit them as she fled through the tent at high speeds,” a deputy wrote in an incident report. “I was advised that they were within inches and feet of the vehicle as it came through the tent. Several victims stated that they thought the driver was going to kill them.”
The deputy also added that Brown “stated she was driving through the course and once she got to the tent she told the personnel working she was not there for the vaccine.”
Reports said that Brown was released on $21,000 bond and had a court date set for June 7. It’s unclear if she has a lawyer.
Other details about the incident were not provided.
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