63-year-old Cardelia Bender cut off another vehicle when she made an illegal turn, nearly causing a collision. When MJPD tried to issue her a citation, she refused to sign, and dared them to take her to jail. It took 3 officers to get the the 63-year-old citizen in the back of a patrol car, but they called her bluff.
On April 25th, Mt. Juliet Police Officer Clayton Neal observed Cardelia Bender make an illegal left-turn in the 500 block of Pleasant Grove Road, cutting off a vehicle that was making a legal right-turn, causing it to suddenly brake to avoid a collision.
The officer prepared a state citation for failure-to-yield, and was prepared to let Bender go about her day, however when presented with the citation, she refused to sign it to acknowledge receipt. Officer Neal explained to her he could physically arrest her for the failure-to-yield if she refused to acknowledge the citation with her signature, yet she still refused. Bender reportedly told the officer she wouldn’t sign anything, and he could take her to jail.
Officer Neal then attempted to take the 63-year-old woman into physical custody, at which point she resisted all attempts, twisting and turning away from the officer in an attempt to no be handcuffed. She was eventually restrained in cuffs, however once she was walked to the patrol car, she braced her feet against the door to prevent being placed inside the car. It took three MJPD officers, including Officer Clayton Neal, Cpl. Douglas Troutman, and Officer Patrick Kennedy, to eventually place her into the back of the vehicle.
Cardelia Bender was charged with failure-to-yield, and resisting arrest. She was transported to the Wilson County Jail, where she was booked and released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled to appear in court in July.
