Athens Woman Hides in Woods After DUI Crash

Athens-Clarke County police responded to a single-vehicle crash in a residential neighborhood after a Corvette collided with a dealer-tagged vehicle registered to Elizabeth Wilson. Witnesses told officers a woman matching Wilson's description exited the driver's seat and ran into nearby woods before police arrived on scene.

A K-9 unit was called in to assist with the search. Officers spent an extended period attempting to locate the woman, at one point warning her over a loudhailer that she would be bitten by the dog if it found her before she surrendered.

Hours into the search, Wilson was found hiding in the woods. Officers reported she had urinated on herself during the standoff and directed her to crawl out from her hiding spot.

Despite her identification, Social Security card, and purse being recovered from the wrecked vehicle, Wilson repeatedly denied driving the car and gave shifting accounts of who was allegedly behind the wheel. Officers noted signs of intoxication, and Wilson admitted to drinking prior to the crash.

Wilson refused to perform field sobriety tests at the scene. Under Georgia's implied consent law, her refusal was treated as grounds to pursue a DUI test through legal channels. Officers obtained a magistrate-signed search warrant authorizing a blood draw, which was carried out by a law enforcement phlebotomist.

The case remains under investigation by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Charges related to DUI, hit-and-run, and obstruction are pending further review by prosecutors.