MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) – A Mid-South family felt sad and disappointed Friday, as the Memphis woman accused of hitting and killing a man and driving off in 2017, didn’t appear as planned in court.
Joanna Goodfellow faces several charges, including aggravated assault, leaving the scene of a deadly accident, and reckless driving. 32-year-old Christopher Phillips died.
More than two and a half years later, Phillips’ loved ones anticipated seeing the accused driver in person for the first time but now must wait another month in this criminal case. The 35-year-old didn’t appear; her attorney cited a family conflict.
“We are very disappointed because we have people that have come down from Nashville that have made the trip to be here today,” William Phillips – the victim’s uncle – said.
In February 2017, investigators said Goodfellow hit Phillips and kept driving as he crossed Madison Avenue just west of Overton Square.
Phillips’ family named her as the driver in a February 2018 civil wrongful death lawsuit, but she wasn’t criminally indicted until last October and arrested this summer, following a traffic stop on I-40 in Marion, Arkansas.
“It just keeps the wound open, you know, everyone is trying to heal and it just slows the healing process down,” Phillips said.
Goodfellow’s attorney defended her client’s absence at Friday’s scheduled bond arraignment.
“If a lawyer files for her presence to be waived, she’s not required to be here, it’s a simply a court date where a judge tells her what she’s charged with,” John McNeil said.
Goodfellow is due again in court October 29th. She’s currently out on bond.