Blotter: Woman Driving Drunk Nearly Hits Police

NEWTOWN SQUARE–On Dec. 16 at approximately 3:30 a.m., Newtown police was on patrol traveling west on West Chester Pike/Rt. 3 in the area of Alice Grim Boulevard and the 4700 block of Rt. 3.

As police approached the traffic light at Alice Grim Blvd., police observed a white vehicle stopped at a steady green signal facing westbound. According to the report, the brake lights of the vehicle were illuminated and police pulled in behind the vehicle and activated their emergency lights in an attempt to get the vehicle to move.

When police approached the driver's side of the vehicle, they found a woman leaning forward with her head against the steering wheel, according to the report.

According to the report, police could see the woman was breathing and knocked several times on the window with no response from the driver. Police shook the car and observed the driver fall to the right and finally wake up at which time the woman looked at police and proceeded to drive away westbound on Rt. 3.

Police then activated their siren and started to follow the woman on Rt. 3. According to the report, the woman did not stop for police and as it approached the intersection of Rock Ridge Road, the car ran up on the curb on the right-hand side of the road and then back down onto the highway.

As the vehicle re-entered the highway, it swerved across two lanes of traffic almost striking another vehicle trying to pass in the left lane, according to the report. Police then positioned their vehicle up alongside of the vehicle in an attempt to stop the driver when the woman swerved to the left and almost hit the patrol car.

Police were able to eventually stop the vehicle just west of Rock Ridge Road. Police approached the driver’s side of the vehicle and stopped the patrol car in front of the woman’s vehicle at which time the woman turned her wheel and started to drive again.

According to the report, police had to quickly move out of the driver’s way to keep from being struck by her vehicle. Police were able to reach into the driver’s side window and place the car in park and opened the driver’s side door, according to the report.

When police asked the woman to exit the vehicle, the woman appeared to “stumble” out of the vehicle, nearly falling to the ground, according to the report. The woman was identified as a 23-year-old woman from Glen Mills, and told police she had “a little” to drink that night when asked by police, according to the report.

Police detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from the woman and was barely able to stand without assistance from police, according to the report. A portable breathalyzer test was administered and a 0.236 percent BAC was recorded from the woman.

The woman was arrested and charged with DUI; Driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked; and recklessly endangering another person.