
During a routine traffic stop, a woman named Dayton Smith, 38, from Memphis, Tennessee, made a bad situation much worse. She was pulled over while driving a 2007 Chrysler 300 because her vehicle tags were expired, her license was suspended, and she had no proof of insurance. But the problems didn’t stop there. Smith had illegal drugs in her car—marijuana, crack, and cocaine—so when the officer approached her, she panicked and tried to run away.
After being caught and placed in the back of a police car, Smith started banging on the windows, asking if she could use the bathroom. While the officers were explaining that she’d have to wait, she suddenly tried to escape from custody. She ran, but the officers quickly caught up with her. What happened next was shocking.
As they struggled to restrain her, Smith bit one of the officers on the arm, breaking his skin. She also reportedly held her keys between her fingers and swung at him, trying to fight back. But the most disturbing part came later. While being treated for injuries from the struggle, Smith told medical staff that she was HIV positive. This meant the officer she bit could have been exposed to the virus, which would have been devastating news for him and his loved ones.
The officer was rushed to a hospital, where he received treatment for the bite wound and possible HIV exposure. He was later released, but the emotional toll of not knowing whether he’d been infected must have been overwhelming. Imagine the fear of waiting to find out if your life could be forever changed—or even cut short—because of one reckless act. If the officer had a family, the stress and uncertainty would have been unbearable for them too.
Thankfully, blood tests later revealed that Smith had lied about being HIV positive. Her test results came back negative, meaning the officer was not at risk. While this was a huge relief, it doesn’t excuse Smith’s actions. She deliberately tried to terrify the officer and everyone involved by claiming she had a life-threatening illness. This kind of behavior is not only cruel but also deeply disturbing.
Smith’s lies and actions didn’t go unpunished, though. She was charged with a long list of crimes, including driving with a suspended license, resisting arrest, aggravated assault, and possession of illegal drugs with intent to sell. While the charge for criminal exposure to HIV was dropped (since she didn’t actually have the virus), the other charges remained. Smith was jailed on a $50,000 bond, and hopefully, she’ll stay behind bars for a long time.