A former local teacher testified Tuesday that her estranged husband viciously attacked her outside her parents' home in Ooltewah in an incident Dec. 16, 2009.
Frances Speight said the attacker wore a ski mask in the early morning attack at the end of a driveway at Old Hunter Road, but she was sure it was Shannon Ory.
Ory, 44, is standing trial in the courtroom of Judge Don Poole for attempted first-degree murder.
Ms. Speight said she had moved out of the couple's home in Ooltewah and took her two children with her when there was an earlier incident.
She said in that case police woke her up at midnight and said her husband charged that she had attacked him. She denied that she had, but she said she immediately left.
The former teacher at St. Jude and Notre Dame Schools said she was heading to work when she found trash cans and trash bags blocking her way at the end of the driveway. She said she got out and moved the items and was getting back in her Tahoe "when a figure came out of the woods."
She said the masked man grabbed her by the head and punched her in the face, knocking her to the ground. She said she was lying face down when he began dragging her by the hair and began knocking her head into the pavement.
The witness said he rolled her over and punched her in the face again, then dragged her under the car so she was between the wheels. She said he tried several times to hold her under the vehicle with his foot while trying to make the vehicle move. She said she was able to crawl out each time.
She said he then tried several times to get her into the back of the vehicle, but she kept resisting. She said she managed to get away and ran across the street and clung behind a mailbox. She said the man began to drive toward her, but got out when it was straddling the middle of the road.
She said he then began running toward the home she had shared with him.
Ms. Speight said she has moved to Murfreesboro and works at a clinical lab.
Authorities said Ory showed up at her job there and was seen following their children around.
Ms. Speight said she and Ory grew up in Louisiana. They were married almost 14 years and had two children together.
Prosecutors are Cameron Williams and Lance Pope.