A 32-year-old Ohio woman is facing drunk driving and child endangerment charges after allegedly causing an accident while under the influence of alcohol with her five children in the car. The incident took place on the evening of Feb. 15 on Youngstown Road in Warren. Reports indicate that the woman was transported to the Trumbull County Jail after being processed and is being held without bail.
According to reports, officers were responding to a call at about 7:00 p.m. when they noticed a disabled SUV near a gas station and a second SUV in the gas station’s parking lot. The woman behind the wheel of the second SUV is said to have told the officers that her vehicle had been struck as she was making a turn. Officers say that they became suspicious that the woman may have been impaired when they noticed the smell of alcohol on her breath. The woman behind the wheel of the disabled SUV was injured in the crash and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The woman allegedly admitted to officers that she had been drinking about an hour before, and a roadside breath test is said to have determined her blood alcohol level to be nearly three times the legal limit in Ohio.
The penalties for drunk driving can be enhanced in Ohio when police discover children under the age of 18 in the vehicle involved. However, prosecutors work under great pressure and may be willing to negotiate plea arrangements in return for a swift resolution even when their cases are strong. Experienced criminal defense attorneys could encourage prosecutors to reduce drunk driving charges and forgo sentence enhancements by pointing out mitigating factors such as sincere regret, a clean record and gainful employment.
Source: The Tribune-Chronicle, “Woman accused of causing drunk-driving crash”, Ron Selak Jr., Feb. 17, 2018
