Katherine A. Donohoe, 48, has been charged with felony aggravated fleeing from a stop, which is a Valentine’s Law violation, and initially was held on a bond of $75,000. On Friday, March 21, there was a bond reduction hearing and the bond was amended to $10,000.

She remains in custody in the Clay County Detention Center.

The charge came after Donohoe fled from deputies March 15 and according to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, nearly struck a man attending a birthday party.

At 4 p.m. March 15, a deputy spotted an SUV with a fake temp tag near Highway 210 and Searcy Creek Parkway. Before he tried to stop it, he also saw that vehicle run a stop sign and go southbound into the northbound lanes of Searcy Creek Parkway. It eventually corrected, but as he tried to stop the vehicle, it took off at high speed, frequently going on the wrong side of the road.

The deputy lost sight of the vehicle near a paintball and laser tag business at 9300 Underground Drive, but a bystander pointed him in the direction the SUV had gone. The deputy located the SUV crashed in the woods. He couldn’t find the driver. Additional deputies arrived, and one of them located the driver walking on Underground Drive and took her into custody. She had only superficial injuries.

The bystander told deputies the fleeing driver almost struck him as he retrieved pizzas from his vehicle for a birthday party. The SUV swerved, causing it to strike a gate and overturn in the woods. There were many vehicles in the business’s parking lot at the time, and thankfully the driver went off road before striking anyone. Deputies later learned the driver had no valid license.

At court March 17, the court entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of Donohue.