Mom Charged With DUI After Police Find Baby, Open Bottle Of Tequila In Car
SEWICKLEY HEIGHTS (KDKA) -- It was a Friday, Nov. 1, around 11:30 a.m. on Scaife Road in Sewickley Heights.
"A passing motorist had flagged me down when I was on patrol," says Police Chief Herbert Ford.
The concerned driver told the chief about a woman in a red car. That woman was later identified as 32-year-old Meagan Smith of Monaca.
"Told me there has to be something wrong with her; she's all over the road," said Chief Ford.
On Blackburn Road, the chief caught up with the red 1999 Buick weaving over the double yellow line, back and forth.
"As we approached the turn, she starts to go over the yellow line again - almost striking another car head on - that's when I turned on the lights and tried to stop her," Chief Ford said.
But the chief says siren and lights weren't enough. She ran a stop sign, driving another mile before pulling over in Allepo Township.
That's when Chief Ford realized that Smith wasn't alone.
"I could see a car seat in the back, but I didn't think there was a baby in it," he said.
There was. It was Smith's 8-month-old daughter. There was also allegedly an open bottle of tequila on the passenger-side floor.
"Not really coherent, but didn't say anything about drinking," said Chief Ford.
Investigators say field sobriety and blood alcohol level tests showed Smith to be well in excess of the legal limit.
There was no answer at Smith's home in Monaca.
The chief says that Smith was still under the influence after her arrest, so a friend picked her up and another friend picked the baby up.
Smith is charged with fleeing police, driving under the influence and endangering the welfare of her child.
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