For more than a month, Kerri King, 35, of Elkton ? a dancer on Baltimore City?s block of strip bars ? was wanted on an open warrant for failing to appear in court on a drunken-driving charge.
That warrant wasn?t served until hours after her sport utility vehicle killed a 13-year veteran Maryland Transportation Authority police officer. Now, Baltimore agencies are telling different stories of who?s responsible.
“If it?s a District Court warrant, it?s the police?s responsibility,” said Sgt. Carla Lightsey, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore City Sheriff?s Office.
“That usually falls under the sheriff?s jurisdiction,” said Officer Troy Harris, a spokesman for the Baltimore Police Department. Police detained King Tuesday.
Courtney Brooks, 40, a father of three, died New Year?s Eve while working trafficdetail on Interstate 95 near I-395 around 11:20 p.m. Monday, police said. The driver fled.
King, who has not been charged in this case, has a history of failing to appear for court dates.
In June, she failed to appear in Cecil County District Court on driving with an expired licenses from Maryland and Illinois. A judge at that time did not issue a warrant because the charge carries no jail time, said an aide to Stephen Baker, Cecil County district administrative judge.
In September, she was charged with drunken driving on northbound I-95 in Baltimore City.
An officer noticed “several liquor bottles” in the back of her vehicle, according to charging documents.
King told police she and a friend were “dancing on the block” and they were going home to Elkton. She admitted she had been drinking, saying she took three beers and three shots. Her eyes were bloodshot and glassy and her speech was slurred, police said. She blew a 0.12 on a breath test, police said, 50 percent over the limit. She failed to appear, and Judge Jack Lesser issued a warrant for her arrest, setting bail at $1,000 on Nov. 27. King was charged with speeding and driving while on a suspended license.
Staff writer Jaime Malarkey contributed to this story.
