Law enforcement responding to a single-vehicle collision on the I-43 highway in Milwaukee on Jan. 10 encountered eight children and two adults outside a minivan that had struck a retaining wall. Deputies described the results of the 30-year-old female driver’s field sobriety test as poor. Her breath test produced a blood alcohol level of .088, which resulted in her arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated and transporting children.
Her children ranged in age from 1 to 12, and some of them suffered minor injuries in the crash. Only a single child had been restrained by a seat belt. Her criminal charges also include seven counts of child neglect and disorderly conduct. Additional citations result from her lack of insurance and a valid driver’s license. Her prison sentence could be as much as six years if a court convicts her on all charges.
According to witnesses, the crash happened because a 36-year-old male passenger grabbed the steering wheel. A motorist reported to authorities that the minivan sped past him and then veered into the retaining wall. Statements given by some of the children to deputies added that the male passenger had been drinking in the vehicle and arguing with the driver.
When a bad situation results in someone getting arrested for drunk driving, the offender has a right to legal counsel. An attorney might sort through the details of the case and challenge charges not supported sufficiently by evidence. Mistakes while administering a field sobriety test might enable an attorney to get charges reduced. An attorney could also guide the alleged offender through the process of regaining a license.
