A 32-year-old Dry Branch truck driver went to jail for aggravated assault after he ran over his 33-year-old wife with his 18-wheeler at the I-75 rest area on Aug. 3.
According to the incident report, around 8 p.m., victim Krista Maria Pike was sitting in the passenger seat of her blue 2001 Nissan Altima when deputy James Brooks answered the call. She told Brooks that her husband, Matthew Jonathan Pike, ran over her legs with his semi-truck. There was heavy bruising and scrapes on both her legs.
While EMS was evaluating Krista, Brooks spoke to Matthew about what occurred. Matthew said he pulled into the rest area because he was having issues with his truck. Before he arrived at the rest area, he said he had called Krista to pick him up and take him to get some parts for the truck. Matthew then said that he did not see Krista when she arrived because of how his truck was positioned. He pulled the truck forward and heard a sound towards the rear of the truck. He said when he got out of the truck, he saw Krista lying on the ground crying and that he had accidentally run over her. Matthew said he then put Krista in her car and called 911. He was going to take her to the hospital, but dispatch advised him to stay in the rest area.
After speaking with Matthew, Brooks spoke to the witness, Evelyn Patel, who was in the truck with Matthew. Patel said that she wanted to make extra money by cleaning trucks and rode to Blue Beacon in Butts County to get Matthew’s truck washed. Patel said that after they left Butts County, they drove until arriving at the rest area when Matthew started having issues with his truck. She said she saw a blue Nissan Altima pull in front of the truck, and Krista exited the vehicle. Patel told Brooks that Matthew then got out of the truck and walked around the passenger side of the truck with Krista. She said he came back, got into the truck and went to pull away when he hit Krista. Patel looked out the side mirror on the passenger side and could see Krista on the ground in the fetal position.
Matthew said that he had a dash cam in his truck that would show that Krista did not pull in front of him and that he never got out of the truck. When asked if he could show the video, he said he did not know how to do playback from the camera. The dashcam was submitted as evidence.
After speaking with all the parties involved, Brooks arrested Matthew. Matthew said he wasn’t going to jail, and he pulled away and ran off on foot. Brooks and Cpl. Noah Stevens chased him for a short distance before Matthew stopped running and lay on the ground. He was handcuffed and taken to jail for aggravated assault and two counts of obstruction. At press time Pike remained in jail on a $10,000 bond.