September 27, 2022
By: Dwayne Page
A drunk driver who got violent with law enforcement officers during his arrest Sunday is facing several charges.
36-year-old Steven Wallace Morris of Eads, Tennessee in Shelby County is under a $33,500 bond and his court date is October 13. Morris is charged with three counts of assaulting a first responder, a 2nd offense of driving under the influence, simple possession or casual exchange of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, vandalism under $1,000, violation of the implied consent and open container laws, giving a false report, and resisting arrest.
Sheriff Patrick Ray said that the case against Morris began as two deputies were dispatched to South Tittsworth Road Sunday where Morris had backed his vehicle into a ditch. After being confronted by the officers, Morris denied driving the automobile, refused to submit to field sobriety tasks and a blood test, and he assaulted both officers hitting them in the head and vandalized a patrol car. Containers of alcohol, a baggie of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia were found in the car. Morris later assaulted another officer at the hospital after being taken there while in custody on a search warrant for a blood sample from him.
The warrants describe each charge against Morris as follows:
Assaulting first responders- Two deputies responded to the area of South Tittsworth Road due to a vehicle backed into the ditch. Morris became very belligerent and violent. He placed his hands on the deputies and started to resist. Reasonable force was used by the officers to place Morris in custody. When putting him in back of the patrol car, Morris became violent with the deputies and started flailing his arms and kicking at the patrol car door. During the scuffle one of the deputies was hit on the right side of the head causing bruising while the other officer was kicked in the face causing swelling to his right cheek.
DUI (2nd offense) and possession of drug paraphernalia: Morris was found to be unsteady on his feet at the scene on South Tittsworth Road and he had a strong odor of alcohol on him. Morris refused field sobriety tests and he became violent and fought officers. A search of Morris’ vehicle incident to arrest yielded several containers of alcohol, a baggie containing a green leafy substance that weighed 0.13 grams believed to be marijuana, and a colored glass pipe with a green leafy substance in it thought to be marijuana. Morris’ first conviction for DUI was September 22, 2017.
Assaulting another first responder. After being arrested at South Tittsworth Road, a deputy transported Morris from the sheriff’s department to the emergency room of the hospital for a blood draw ordered by a search warrant due to a DUI charge. Upon arrival at the hospital, Morris became very combative with the deputy. While escorting Morris to the emergency room, Morris began to tense up and resist grabbing onto the deputy’s right wrist and refusing to let go causing redness, irritation, and swelling to the officer’s wrist.
Vandalism under $1,000: Morris caused damage to a county patrol car using his knee to put a dent on the back right corner panel.
False report: Morris said he was not driving the vehicle that had backed into the ditch on South Tittsworth Road and that one of his friends had been driving and left the scene. An eyewitness, however, gave a written statement that Morris had been driving the vehicle.