Hixson woman accused of killing Chattanooga police officer in hit-and-run arrested again

Janet Hinds
Janet Hinds
photo Janet Hinds

Janet Hinds, the Hixson woman charged with running over and killing Chattanooga police Officer Nicholas Galinger earlier this year, is back in custody.

She was arrested Friday by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office for testing positive for alcohol consumption during a random drug screen on June 21, according to court documents. She had been out on bond, fitted with a GPS and alcohol-monitoring bracelet, and her passport was revoked. When she failed to report for a random drug screen on June 20, county pretrial services called her back in the next day.

Read more about deadly hit-and-run of Chattanooga police officer

Her bond has been revoked and she will be held without bail. Her next scheduled court date is July 11 in Hamilton County Criminal Court before Judge Don Poole.

Hinds, 55, faces multiple charges, including vehicular homicide, driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident with death, reckless driving, driving left of center line, failure to render aid, violation of traffic control, failure to report an accident and driver's responsibility to exercise due care after police say she struck Galinger as he and his training officer were inspecting an overflowing manhole on Hamill Road in Hixson on Feb. 23. Prosecutors say Hinds consumed four beers and a Lemon Drop vodka shot at a restaurant in Ringgold, Georgia, before she drove home. They also allege Hinds was speeding and didn't stop after she hit Galinger, which flung his body another 160 feet.

She has pleaded not guilty and her attorney, Ben McGowan, has argued Hamill Road and Galinger weren't visible: A road sign over the overflowing manhole cover had lost its reflective cover, and the officers were dressed in navy blue and didn't have their cruiser lights on in the rain. McGowan also questioned whether Galinger was bending over to inspect the sign, and was therefore harder to see, during a preliminary hearing in March.

Hinds was indicted in late April with an additional DUI charge, likely based on the state's testimony about her drinking before driving home. Galinger's family has since filed a lawsuit in Hamilton County Circuit Court seeking $10 million in civil damages.

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