Woman Charged With DUI After Chasing And Ramming Car, Claiming 3 Kids Had Been Kidnapped
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A 33-year-old woman was charged with drunk driving in Joliet on Sunday, after police said she chased and rammed another vehicle, wrongly believing three children had been kidnapped.
Around 10:45 p.m., Joliet police officers responded to the area of Broadway and Ruby, after someone called to report they were being chased by a red vehicle.
Officers spotted the vehicles near Jackson and Ottawa, where the red vehicle had rammed the other car after crossing the Ruby Street bridge, police said.
Police questioned the people in both cars, and the driver of the red vehicle -- 33-year-old Lauren Tincher -- claimed she had been following the other car after seeing three girls being kidnapped. Tincher claimed she followed the car and eventually rammed it in an effort to help the children inside.
However, police did not find any girls inside the other car. The only people inside were two adults and their 2-year-old son.
Police said Tincher appeared to be drunk, and there was an open alcoholic drink in her vehicle, but she refused field sobriety tests. She was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, aggravated DUI, reckless driving, driving on a revoked license, illegal transportation of alcohol, criminal damage to property, and driving an uninsured vehicle.
Officers obtained a warrant to obtain Tincher's blood, which was sent to a lab for analysis.
Police said Tincher has previous DUI convictions. She was due to appear in bond court Monday afternoon in Will County.