A Georgia man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he stole his wife’s SUV and used it to hit her several times during a violent altercation.
The incident, which took place in February, has led to serious charges, including attempted murder, kidnapping, and aggravated battery.
The Incident and Charges
Twan Maurice Byrd, who was arrested in February, was indicted on Wednesday for a series of crimes involving his wife. According to the bill of indictment reviewed by Law&Crime, Byrd stole his wife’s Chevy Equinox on February 3.
Witnesses reported seeing him hit her with the vehicle multiple times and even attempting to run her over as she tried to escape onto the curb.
The situation escalated when Byrd allegedly backed over his wife before she ran into a nearby car wash for safety. He followed her into the car wash, hitting her again, before fleeing on foot, leaving his seriously injured wife behind.
When police arrived, they found Byrd’s wife bleeding heavily from her nose and mouth, with a broken leg. She was able to identify her husband as the attacker before being rushed to the hospital.
Additional Allegations
Beyond the physical assault, prosecutors allege that Byrd tried to prevent his wife from testifying against him in their divorce proceedings.
According to the indictment, Byrd offered his wife anything she wanted in exchange for her not testifying in the case. Prosecutors also claim that Byrd stalked his wife, making harassing and intimidating phone calls to her.
In addition to the charges of stealing the SUV and assaulting his wife, Byrd faces a variety of other criminal charges, including hijacking a motor vehicle, criminal attempt to commit murder, kidnapping, influencing a witness, stalking, obstruction of an officer, and three counts of aggravated battery.
Legal Proceedings and Current Status
Byrd remains in custody at Chatham County Jail, where he is being held without bond. He is scheduled to be arraigned on October 1.
The severity of the charges, along with the brutal nature of the attack, has drawn significant attention to the case. His wife, who sustained serious injuries in the incident, is still recovering from the traumatic event.
As this case moves through the legal system, the outcome will likely shed light on issues of domestic violence, stalking, and the lengths to which some individuals will go to prevent legal consequences.
