Woman arrested after pursuit that shut down I-81

A woman has been charged after causing both lanes of Interstate 81 to be shut down briefly Thursday. Officers attempted to stop a vehicle on I-26 in Johnson City due to excessive speed causing a pursuit. The driver of the vehicle, Ja’Necqua Releford crashed into a cable barrier on I-81 just north of the I-26 interchange. Authorities say she refused to exit the vehicle, became non-cooperative, and claimed she was armed. After negotiations, officers were able to take her into custody and transport her to a hospital. She faces multiple charges including evading arrest, reckless driving and DUI.