Florida Mom Accused of DUI and Child Neglect

By Jonathan Blecher on July 9, 2015

In a recent case, a resident of Lake Worth, crashed her vehicle while driving under the influence of a cocktail of alcohol and medications. According to a Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office arrest report, she was driving under the influence with her two children in the back seat.

The crash occurred around 9 a.m. at Military Trial and Lake Worth Road on June 12. the defendant was arrested on Saturday and has been accused of DUI, child neglect, and driving on a suspended licensed, the Sun Sentinel reports.

It just so happens that a Palm Springs police officer was in the process of helping local firefighters with a patient outside of an IHOP restaurant when a large crash caught his attention.

As the officer turned toward the accident scene, he saw the defendant stumble around the vehicle and let two children climb out of the back seat of the car, according to Palm Beach County Sherriff’s arrest report.

The officer said that as he spoke to the defendant, he could smell alcohol on her breath.

The two children were not injured in the crash, and they are being cared for by their grandmother.

When a deputy questioned the defendant, at first she said that she hadn’t been drinking, but later she admitted to drinking a wine cooler. She also said that before driving, she had taken Xanax, which is prescribed to treat anxiety, and two hydrocodone pills, which are prescribed for pain.

While she claims that these medications were prescribed, both drugs should not be combined with alcohol, and may even increase its effects. For example, Xanax side effects include:

  • Drowsiness
  • Blurred vision
  • Lack of balance and coordination

Patients who take hydrocodone are warned not to use alcohol when taking hydrocodone because doing so may increase nervous system side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, and impaired judgement.

The defendant submitted to a chemical test, which revealed a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.051 and 0.049, both of which are less than the legal limit of 0.08 for driving.

The defendant was taken to Palm County Jail on Saturday, where she was booked and released on Sunday after posting $6,000 bail.

If you are facing alcohol or drug-related DUI charges, or being charged with child neglect in connection with a DUI incident, contact my firm, Jonathan Blecher, P.A. to work with a Miami DUI attorney with over 30 years’ experience!

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