CHICORA — A Concord Township woman charged with fleeing police saw her case moved to county court during a Tuesday preliminary hearing, but her attorney said the wrong medication may be to blame.

Jody L. Covert, 53, appeared before District Judge Lewis Stoughton, who forwarded all charges against her to the Butler County Common Pleas Court. She is charged with felony fleeing and misdemeanor counts of DUI, resisting arrest and 33 traffic citations.

Following the proceeding, Covert’s attorney Michael Zunder said Covert has no prior criminal record, but she had a traumatic brain injury in 2017 for which she was prescribed lorazepam, commonly known under the brand name Ativan.

Lorazepam is an anti-anxiety medication which slows the brain’s activity, and it can include side-effects such as drowsiness, dizziness and blurred vision among others.

“It’s an unfortunate situation of a doctor prescribing drugs to someone who shouldn’t have it,” Zunder said. “It’s a sad situation, and she is distraught over it.”

Trooper Philip Treadway testified about the March 11 chase that spanned about 3.4 miles along Oneida Valley Road. He said police received a report about an erratic driver, which led him to find Covert stopped at a turnaround on Oneida Valley Road.

Treadway said Covert appeared dazed, and he requested EMTs for evaluation to coincide with his own investigation. Treadway later said that is not normally part of the protocol for DUI investigations, but he felt Covert’s behavior merited it.

“Ms. Covert did deny drinking alcohol, although I did see an open container of alcohol in the vehicle,” Treadway said. “The level of impairment, in my opinion, was extreme.”

During cross-examination, Zunder established that Treadway did not further investigate the open container following the crash. Treadway said there was a strong smell of alcohol in the vehicle and on Covert.

Treadway said as a second trooper arrived to assist in the stop, he asked Covert to exit the vehicle. He said Covert instead put the vehicle in drive and drove away, beginning the chase. Treadway said during the chase, Covert crossed lines on the road at least 12 times, and she mostly traveled in the wrong lane.

“Multiple vehicles had to take evasive action,” Treadway said.

Treadway ended the chase by bumping Covert’s SUV with his cruiser, causing it to spin and stop. He said even as he walked up to Covert, he saw her still trying to get the vehicle to move.

“I observed her trying to aggressively put her foot on the gas pedal multiple times,” Treadway said.

Treadway said Covert then resisted being pulled from the vehicle by hanging onto it. He said EMS evaluated her on the scene and believed her impairment was related to being intoxication.

As she was arrested, she continued to shout and swear at troopers, Treadway said, and when he asked her for permission to have her blood tested, she responded by asking for her attorney repetitively.

Treadway said while taking her to the state police barracks in Butler, she mentioned some of her health problems. He said at the same time, she was trying to kick windows in the cruiser, which forced troopers to restrain her legs.

“During the transport, she mentioned PTSD and other issues,” Treadway said. “The PTSD was the recurring thing.”

Treadway said once at the station three troopers assisted with Covert who continued to resist being moved.

“She was carried in (the barracks,)” Treadway said.

Both prosecutors and the defense rested without argument.

Covert is scheduled to appear July 11 for formal arraignment in county court.