Charges: Woman Drove Drunk, Crashed With 5 Kids In Car
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Burnsville mother hopes her run-in with police last week, which allegedly involved her driving drunk and crashing with five children in her car, is an example of what not to do.
Amy Mullin, 30, is charged with two counts of driving while impaired, endangerment of a child and criminal vehicular operation.
At first, Mullin said she had nothing to say about last Thursday's crash. Then she opened up. Mullin hopes people learn something from her story.
"Even if they want to have whatever judgment, as long as they learn something, that's what's important," Mullin said.
According to the charges, Burnsville Police responded to the intersection of Evergreen Drive and Aston Circle at about 10:40 a.m. last Thursday. When authorities arrived, they learned a man was traveling eastbound on Evergreen Drive when Mullin turned right in front of him. The collision happened near a school.
"She pulled in front of another vehicle and the two cars collided," said Dakota County Attorney James Backstrom.
According to the complaint, police noticed Mullin had glassy and bloodshot eyes. Officers also smelled alcohol, and found children in her car.
"She did indicate that initially there were four children in the vehicle, but one child was not present by the time officers first arrived," Backstrom said. "She went inside the school, because she injured her head during that crash."
The complaint says Mullin lied about how many children were in the car, because they had not been properly buckled in.
"Two were in the front seat; they were both strapped into the passenger seat belt," Backstrom said.
The children – ages 2, 4, 5, 7 and 9 months old -- were treated by paramedics at the scene. Mullin is the mother of two of the children. The three others were relatives.
Mullin was given field sobriety tests and failed.
"She did take a blood alcohol test at the police station shortly after and came back with a reading of .15," Backstrom said.
Mullin was close to twice the legal limit.
If convicted on all counts, Mullin faces up to four years in jail and $12,000 in fines.
Backstrom credits Mullin for taking responsibility for her actions.
