Charges: Woman Drove While Drugged With Unbelted 3-Year-Old
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- An Apple Valley woman is accused of driving under the influence with drugs while a 3-year-old child was sleeping, unbuckled in the back seat.
Charges were filed in Dakota County against 41-year-old Leisa Marie Jefferson in connection with the Sept. 6, 2014 incident.
Investigators say a witness reported someone driving erratically along County Road 11 in Burnsville.
Officers pulled over Jefferson's vehicle and saw that there was a child sleeping in the back seat, not wearing a seat belt.
Jefferson told police that she was on several medications -- Gabapentin, Lexapro, and an unknown sleep aid medication. She was observed almost falling over multiple times during the field sobriety tests.
The complaint says that because her blood pressure was low, she was taken to the hospital. While at the hospital, Jefferson said she wanted an attorney. According to the complaint, when she called one, she asked about getting the dishes done and lawn mowed before telling the lawyer to "shut up."
Blood work showed Jefferson had a number of drugs in her system.
She is currently charged with gross misdemeanor counts of child endangerment and third-degree driving while impaired.