Mental health evaluation ordered for Athens woman who crashed car into Kroger

By Joe Johnson

A Superior Court judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for the woman who injured several people in December when she intentionally crashed her car into Kroger on Alps Road.

Lonneshia Shafaye Appling is facing multiple counts of aggravated assault for her actions that day,

Prosecutors say that the 40-year-old Dudley Drive resident had been under the influence of a combination of fentanyl and methamphetamine when her car plowed into the supermarket.

According to police reports, Appling had sat in her car for several minutes before she suddenly accelerated and crashed the vehicle through the entrance doors and into a checkout area,

The most seriously injured victim was a Kroger employee whose skull was fractured, and another victim was a customer whose injuries included a lacerated arm.

A known shoplifter with an extensive criminal history Appling was heard after the crash repeatedly saying, “He ruined my life.”

Her defense attorney last month filed a motion seeking the evaluation because he believes that Appling is suffering or has suffered some mental, intellectual or psychological infirmity.”

The motion was granted by Judge H. Patrick Haggard, who ordered that the evaluation be conducted by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to determine Appling’s criminal responsibility or mental competency at the time of the Kroger incident.