Editor’s Note: The events of this story transpired on April 13. However, because TheBAYNET.com photographer, John Douglass, was a key witness in the case and provided definitive evidence to the St. Mary’s Traffic Court, TBN held the exclusive story until now. On Nov. 19, the case was resolved. What follows is the story according to Douglass along with his exclusive photographic evidence.

TheBAYNET.com photographer, John Douglass, was traveling home from Budds Creek along State Route 5 after having shot pictures for a story on TBN for the coming day. As Douglass approached the Callaway Shopping Center, he noticed a white Jeep Cherokee screeching to a halt, at first sliding into the southbound lane and then roughly to a stop on the side of the northbound lane.

Douglass pulled over to see if there was a problem. He witnessed a woman and a child leaving the vehicle and thought there might have been a medical emergency and called 911. After a minute or so, it appeared that the stop was something different. A man in the vehicle began yelling at the woman and child. The woman picked up her child and began running away. Douglass called 911 once again and amended his original call.

At that time, the man started to drive after the woman and child. According to Douglass, it appeared that the man was trying to run down the woman. He called one of the responding officers on his personal cell phone and reported what he was witnessing. Dfc. Maguire requested lights and siren code and responded to the scene.

At approximately 6:07 p.m., police arrived. By the time the police had arrived, however, the woman and child were back in the car with the woman behind the wheel. When questioned by police, the woman stated that she was driving. Maguire was then shown pictures taken by Douglass that proved the man had been behind the wheel during the incident. Responding officers found evidence of alcohol and pulled the man from the vehicle and gave him a field sobriety test. The man blew a .14 on the breathalyzer and was arrested. Tpr. C. Evans of MSP was the arresting officer in the case.

On Nov. 19, the case was heard in St. Mary’s Traffic Court where Douglass was called to testify for the prosecution. Jason Thad Bethea, 30 of Leonardtown, plead guilty to Negligent Driving, was fined $257.50 and $25.50 on court costs. Bethea also plead guilty to Driving or Attempting to Drive a Vehicle While Impaired By Alcohol.

On the later conviction, Bethea received a $500 fine, $22.50 in court costs, supervised probation, was ordered to attend parenting class and more.

The photos below were taken on the scene as events unfolded by TBN’s John Douglass.