Woman arrested in St. Elmo fatal hit-and-run

Betty Mundy
Betty Mundy
photo Betty Jean Mundy

A North Georgia woman was arrested early Saturday in connection with a fatal hit-and-run Friday afternoon on St. Elmo Avenue.

Betty Jean Mundy, 53, of Trenton, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving a death. A police report said she was found behind the wheel of a white SUV involved in two crashes.

Witnesses told Chattanooga police that a northbound white SUV hit a scooter in the 4400 block of St. Elmo Avenue at 4:29 p.m. Friday. The witnesses said the SUV never stopped.

The driver of the moped, 56-year-old David Bruce, died at the scene.

Five minutes later, police received a report of another accident involving a white SUV at 3812 Tennessee Ave. The white 2010 Nissan Murano had crashed into another car and smashed into a telephone pole, according to the report.

The SUV's windshield was smashed and police found hair that appeared to match the moped driver embedded in the windshield.

Mundy's speech was slurred and she had trouble standing, according to the report. Police saw prescription bottles of hydrocodone, a painkiller, and carisoprodol, a muscle relaxant, in her vehicle.

When interviewed by police, Mundy admitted she had taken two Xanax earlier in the day and two carisopordol just before the crashes, the report states. She was arrested at 2:35 a.m. Saturday.

She was released on a $5,000 bond. Additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues, according to the report.

Mundy did not return phone messages asking for comment Saturday afternoon.

Upcoming Events