Mount Ulla woman says she was high when she burst through Rockwell home; kicked officer

Published 6:06 pm Wednesday, November 13, 2019

MOUNT ULLA — A Mount Ulla woman told Rowan County deputies that she was high when she broke into a Rockwell home, damaging property at another home and kicking a deputy.

The Rowan County Sheriff’s Office charged Teri Lynn Covello, 34, of the 600 block of Centenary Church Road, with misdemeanor assault on an officer; misdemeanor breaking and entering; two counts of misdemeanor injury to real property; misdemeanor second-degree trespassing; and misdemeanor resisting or obstructing an officer.

A deputy was called to a home in the 8300 block of Fisher Road on Tuesday night on a report of a trespasser. One resident was arguing with a woman, later identified as Teri Covello, in her driveway.

The woman said she found Covello, whom she didn’t know, standing at her fence with the woman’s 8-year-old daughter. Covello had her hand on the girl’s shoulder, and the girl was holding a gate closed. It appeared that Covello was trying to get to horses inside the fence, the deputy reported.

Part of the woman’s electric fence was ripped from the ground, causing about $100 worth of damage, according to the report.

About the same time, the woman’s neighbor said Covello had burst through the door of her house. The neighbor told Covello to leave, but she refused.

Deputies reported that Covello refused to obey commands and was arrested. She then refused to keep handcuffs on and began kicking. A deputy put Covello in smaller handcuffs and shackles to prevent her from kicking. She then refused to walk on her own, so officers lifted her into the back of a patrol car, according to a deputy’s report.

Once in the patrol car, Covello began hitting the prisoner cell, flipping upside down onto the floor and looping her shackles and handcuffs through the door handle. The deputy had to pull over to get Covello to unhook her cuffs. She eventually complied and began to rip the seal around the prisoner cell, causing an estimated $100 in damage.

It took three deputies to carry Covello into the Rowan County Magistrate’s Office because she again refused to walk. She kicked one deputy in the leg, causing him to fall and bruise his knee. She then kicked the same deputy in the chest, according to the report.

She told deputies that she had snorted methamphetamine, which was causing her to resist arrest, the report said.

Covello was held in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond.

In other Rowan County Sheriff’s Office reports:

• A woman reported Friday that someone stole items from her vehicle parked in the 1200 block of Chalk Maple Road, China Grove.

• A woman reported Friday copper wire and pipe were stolen from her property in the 260k0 block of Faith Road.

• A woman reported an assault by gunpoint Friday in the 1100 block of Long Ferry Road.

• A man reported Saturday that someone fired shots into his property in the 200 block of Brown Road, China Grove.

• State Employees’ Credit Union reported the credit card fraud in the 700 block of Geneva Drive, Rockwell.

• A man reported an assault among family members Saturday in the 200 block of Godwin Road.

• Restoration Church reported a larceny Saturday in the 700 block of Cannon Street, Rockwell.

• A truck driver reported Sunday that his wallet was stolen in the parking lot of Loves’ Travel Stop, 1105 Peeler Road.

• Dick’s Sporting Goods reported Sunday that two people stole about $1,000 worth of clothing from the store, 125 Tingle Drive.

• A man reported Sunday that someone fraudulently withdrew money from an account.

• Jason Keely Miller, 45, was charged Friday with misdemeanor simple assault in the 300 block of North Main Street.

• Teasha Marie Wall Carpenter, 41, was charged Friday with felony possession of a controlled substance Schedule II at the Rowan County Magistrate’s Office.

• Alexander Tavon Miller, 23, was charged Friday with misdemeanor assault by pointing a gun in the 1100 block of Long Ferry Road.

• Freddy Angel Arroyo, 21, was charged Saturday with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture a Schedule IV substance at U.S 29 North and East Church Street, China Grove.

In Salisbury Police Department reports:

• A man reported credit card fraud Tuesday in the 1900 block of West Jake Alexander Boulevard.

• Leonard Terry Smith, 48, was charged Tuesday with felony possession of a controlled substance Schedule II in the 1900 block of West Innes Street.