When police in Elyria responded to a call about a vehicle hitting a tree on Middle Avenue, they found a 21-year-old woman and 3-week-old infant. The police report indicated that the woman admitted to driving the vehicle and consuming two shots of Crown Royal.
Officers described her as smelling of alcohol and slurring her speech. She took her infant out of the crashed vehicle and began breastfeeding. After police administered a breath test, they reported a reading of 0.277 for her blood alcohol level.
Police transported the woman to the Lorain County Jail after issuing a citation for operating a vehicle under the influence and charging her with endangering her child. Medical staff at UH Elyria Medical Center examined the infant and determined that the child had lost weight since birth. Authorities informed Lorain County Children’s Services about the case, and the woman’s mother took custody of the infant.
When a person becomes involved in an incident like this and gets charged with drunk driving, an attorney might offer support that allows the person to communicate effectively within the criminal justice system. An attorney could provide advice that helps the defendant decide how to enter a plea in court. If the attorney finds a reason to doubt the accuracy of the sobriety test, then the charges might be dismissed after the attorney approaches the prosecutor with the challenge. Another strategy to limit penalties could involve the defendant agreeing to complete an alcohol abuse program and perform a specified number of hours of community service.
Source: FOX 8, “Drunken woman crashes car then starts breastfeeding infant, Elyria police say“, Jen Steer, July 25, 2017