Knoxville woman kicked officers after being found passed out in car on I-40 ramp, court docs say

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - A woman who allegedly kicked officers after being found passed out in a car that was blocking a ramp on I-40 is facing several charges.

According to court documents obtained by WVLT News, officers were dispatched to a car blocking the right lane of the I-40 East ramp to Alcoa Highway shortly after midnight on Nov. 5.

There, officers found 21-year-old Erica Cooper slumped over the wheel with a two-year-old child in the back seat. Court records say she became combative after officers woke her up and asked her to get out of the car, prompting officers to put her in handcuffs.

Officers asked Cooper several questions, but court documents say her answers were “rambling and incoherent” with slurred speech consistent with alcohol use.

Because her car was blocking the road, officers said they went to get the child out of the car, which resulted in Cooper becoming “combative and disorderly.” As she was getting moved into the back of a police cruiser, court records say she spit on and kicked two officers, prompting AMR to respond and sedate her before taking her to the University of Tennessee Medical Center for evaluation.

While searching Cooper’s car, officers said they found five open containers of alcohol, including an empty bottle of tequila.

Cooper was charged with two counts of assault on a first responder, attempted child endangerment, disorderly conduct and driving under the influence.

She is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 3.