Walker said she suffers from bipolar disorder and Marissa Elkins, her lawyer, told Ferrara that contributed to her troubles with the law.
SPRINGFIELD — Tammy Walker, 50, admitted Wednesday driving under the influence of alcohol and injuring a Massachusetts State Police trooper by dragging her with her arm stuck in the car.
Walker – after State Trooper Amy Waterman was no longer trapped in the door frame – ran a red light on Interstate 291 in Chicopee and T-boned a car carrying three people.
Walker, of Chicopee, was sentenced by Hampden Superior Court Judge John S. Ferrara to 2½ years in the Western Massachusetts Regional Women’s Correctional Center in Chicopee.
She said she suffers from bipolar disorder, and Marissa Elkins, her lawyer, told Ferrara that contributed to her troubles with the law.
Walker also admitted, in a separate case, to spitting at two correctional officers who were transporting her from the jail to Worcester State Hospital. Those charges were assault and battery on a correctional officer by bodily substance.
Ferrara put Walker on two years probation now, which will apply while she is incarcerated, and another two years probation after the first probation.
Walker's plea was to operating under the influence of alcohol, third offense; assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (her car); and assault and battery on a police officer.
Assistant District Attorney James M. Forsyth said the trooper saw erratic driving and pulled Walker over. When Walker pulled over, she was belligerent and abusive to Waterman, he said.
Walker began to put the car in drive, and when Waterman reached in to stop her, she punched Waterman and drove away with Waterman’s arm in the door frame for a short distance.
Forsyth asked Ferrara to sentence Walker to three to five years in state prison followed by two years probation.
He said Waterman, who had bruising from the incident, agreed with his recommendation and knows the risks are part of her job.
He said Walker told another trooper on the scene she “didn’t give a s...” about the people in the car she hit.
Forsyth said Walker had eight prior convictions for assault and battery on a police officer and also had convictions for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.
Elkins said Walker has had many inpatient mental health treatments.
Ferrara said it was an unusual case since Walker had two associate's degrees and a work history showing she could function in an environment with people. But, he said, her record shows her routinely having severe problems when coming into contact with authorities.
Ferrara set as a condition of probation that Walker not drive, saying he would do that in addition to action the Registry of Motor Vehicle will take regarding her license. She must be drug and alcohol free and have substance abuse treatment and mental health evaluation and treatment.
Ferrara took personal jurisdiction over her case, meaning any probation violation allegations will come to him.
The story was updated at 8:45 p.m. to correct the name of the roadway on which the incident occurred to Interstate 291