A traffic officer testified at a nearly five-hour hearing Tuesday that Chattanooga Police Officer Nicholas Galinger was struck at such speed on Hamill Road that his body was slung over the vehicle that struck him.

Attorney Ben McGowan argued that the incident was "a freak, tragic, unavoidable accident," but General Sessions Court Judge Alex McVeagh bound all charges against Soddy Daisy Postmaster Janet Kirk Hinds, 55, to the Grand Jury.

Attorney McGowan indicated that Ms. Hinds only "thought she hit a sign and not a human being" and was not required to stop.

The judge lowered her bond from $300,000 to $153,000, saying the bond on the vehicular homicide was excessive. She was placed on house arrest and ordered to be on an alcohol monitor and have drug testing. Her driver's license and passport were taken.

District Attorney Neal Pinkston argued that additional proof had been gathered about Ms. Hinds drinking at a Ringgold restaurant just prior to hitting the rookie officer. He said the vehicular homicide by recklessness should be raised to the more serious vehicular homicide by intoxication. He also said a charge of DUI could be added. Judge McVeagh said all that could be done at the Grand Jury level.

It was testified that Ms. Hinds was seen eating little food, but did have five drinks at the Farm to Fork restaurant on Saturday evening, Feb. 23. Those included a 22-ounce Blue Moon, a 22-ounce Michelob Ultra Lite, two 16-ounce Michelob Ultra Lites and a lemon drop drink containing an ounce and a half of vodka.

Officer Jeffrey Buckner, who reviewed video from the restaurant, said Ms. Hinds had a taco and also ate several small items that were either some chips or French fries.

Officer Jarrod Justice, who was training the officer who had recently arrived from Cincinnati, said they went out to check a report of water spewing from a manhole cover. He said there was a barricade over the manhole and cars seemed to be slowing and going around it okay.

He said they began to walk to his nearby patrol car when he looked back and saw that Officer Galinger was still in the roadway. He said he was leaning down looking at something - apparently a reflective sign that had fallen off the barricade.

Officer Justice, in an emotional tone, said, "I saw headlights approaching rapidly. I began yelling at him. I yelled multiple times, but for whatever reason he didn't hear me. The car was straddling the center line."

He said after violently crashing through the barricade and striking Officer Galinger, the vehicle stopped briefly, then continued on.

Officer Justice said, "He was still in the roadway and I ran to him." He then raced back to his patrol car to move it near the downed officer to keep other vehicles away. Officer Justice said a second car came by in the interim and he thought it ran over the officer. However, Traffic Investigator Joe Warren said he did not believe the second car struck him.

Dash cam video was shown from Officer Galinger in which a small portion of the approaching white vehicle can be seen on the left of the screen. Then there is a violent crash and the video stops.

On dash cam video from Officer Justice, Officer Galinger jokes that they should go after a vehicle that splashed water on them. After the wreck, Officer Justice is heard saying, "I saw the car coming. I was yelling at him. He had his head down. The car was dead center going right at him. He went flying through the air."

He told his sergeant, "Unless there's some miracle, he's 449 (dead on arrival), Sarge."

Officer Justice said he called the dispatcher using a special code he seldom used - "Adam 2 Brake" directing other officers to come from whatever else they were doing.

He said he then started doing CPR on Officer Galinger, though he could feel no pulse.

Jessica Powell, a waitress at Farm to Fork, said she served Ms. Hinds the Ultra Lites and the vodka. She said she did not order any food from her. She said nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary with her behavior. "She seemed pretty normal. She was very sweet. They were all very nice."

Ms. Hinds was sitting near her son and his wife.

She got there at 6:43 and left at 10:33. The accident was just after 11 p.m.

Officer Warren said he computed that the Honda was traveling at least 47 to 52 mph and possibly faster.

He said he found a grill with a Honda emblem on it at the accident site. It was found that it went to a 2017 or 2018 Honda CRV. It was testified there are some 400 white Honda CRVs in Hamilton County. Officers began checking each of those to see if there was any front-end damage.

A large number of officers volunteered to help. A robbery detective who was due to be off that day on Sunday afternoon checked the Port Serena subdivision and found a white Honda CRV with heavy-front end damage, a shattered windshield and a missing grill. The address on Port Drive was that of Ms. Hinds, though no one was home.

It turned out that Ms. Hinds' white Honda CRV was not on the list of 400.

Ms. Hinds remained missing and was placed on the TBI's Most Wanted List. Police said they went twice to her parents' home and to her sister and her son. The sister and son came in for interviews.

On Sunday afternoon, attorney McGowan called investigator Lucas Fuller to say Ms. Hinds would turn herself in Monday morning. Sgt. Justin Kilgore said, "We need to talk to her today." He said he asked several people to contact attorney McGowan to have her turned in earlier. Attorney McGowan said there was no proof that anyone had asked him to do so. Ms. Hinds did not give a statement to police.

It was testified that Ms. Hinds was on video just past the railroad tracks on Hamill Road going about 20 mph. Officer Warren said it was indicative of those who are impaired to drive slow and then fast and also to get out of their lane.

Cindy Musgrove, sister of Ms. Hinds, said she worked 32 years with the Post Office and retired. She said her sister has 33 years and "is within one year of retirement. If she does not work in some capacity there she'll lose all of the retirement she worked 33 years to obtain."

She said Ms. Hinds is a caregiver for her parents, 80 and 81, who she said are in ill health. Their father is legendary softball coach Clifford Kirk. All the family members were at the hearing.

Ms. Musgrove said she, her sister and her father all have a genetic heart disorder. She said she and her father had corrective surgery and Ms. Hinds is in urgent need of an operation. She said she has a medical appointment on the issue soon.

Ms. Musgrove said her sister has been held "in the back hole" at Silverdale and only allowed to have visitors on Saturday.

There was an overflow crowd. The case was moved upstairs to the Criminal Court of Judge Barry Steelman. A number of those in the courtroom indicated they were supporters of Ms. Hinds, including school board member Rhonda Thurman.