Woman Arrested After Attempted Vehicle Theft and Crash in Lester Community

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, July 30, 2025, deputies from both the Limestone County and Giles County Sheriff’s Offices responded to reports of a suspicious person in the Lester community, near the Alabama-Tennessee state line.

Deputies arrived around 3:30 a.m. in the 29000 block of Lester Road, where they found 43-year-old Bethany Paige Thornton Garcia of Athens, Alabama, inside a garage attempting to steal a vehicle. When approached by law enforcement, Garcia attempted to flee. During her escape attempt, she struck a Giles County patrol vehicle twice before crashing through a garage wall. The incident resulted in extensive property damage and rendered the vehicle inoperable.

Garcia was taken into custody at the scene without further incident. She faces multiple charges, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI), Burglary in the 3rd Degree, and Criminal Mischief in the 1st Degree.

Authorities credited the coordinated response of both sheriff’s departments with safely resolving the situation. No injuries were reported.