Authorities have reported that a 51-year-old woman was charged with both driving while under the influence of alcohol and drug possession following a routine traffic stop on the evening of Feb. 10. A subsequent breath test is said to have established that the woman’s blood alcohol content was actually below Minnesota’s .08 percent legal driving limit. Media accounts indicate that the woman was transported to the Washington County Jail after being taken into custody at the scene.
A state trooper pulled the woman’s car over on Interstate 494 in the vicinity of 10th Street after responding to reports of an erratic driver in the area of Valley Creek Road. Upon approaching the vehicle, the trooper detected the odor of alcohol and noticed that the woman’s eyes were watery and bloodshot. Reports indicate that the woman had difficulty maintaining her balance when exiting her vehicle.
The woman was taken into custody after allegedly admitting that she had consumed alcohol before getting behind the wheel and may also have taken cocaine. According to reports, a search of the woman is said to have led to the discovery of a package of a white powdery substance. Officers say that they searched the woman after she told them that she could be carrying cocaine.
Motorists facing drunk driving charges have often never been in trouble with the law before, and they sometimes believe that total candor will result in more lenient treatment. Experienced criminal defense attorneys may advise their clients to remain calm and behave courteously when approached by police officers but make no statements in the absence of legal counsel.
Source: The Woodbury Patch, “Woman Driving Through Woodbury Faces DWI, Cocaine Charge”, William Bornhoft, July 18, 2018