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Pittsburg Woman Allegedly Intoxicated On Prescription Medications During Crash

A crash on Interstate 30 near the Franklin-Hopkins County line resulted in a Pittsburg woman’s arrested for driving while intoxicated on prescription medications, according to arrest reports.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers responded around 6:05 p.m. on Interstate 30 east at mile post 141, where a vehicle reported crashed into a fence. Upon arrival, the highway patrol trooper began a routine crash investigation. The 38-year-old Pittsburg woman reported to have been involved in the crash was found in ambulance, according to arrest reports.

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The Pittsburg woman, when contacted about the crash, claimed to have been driving from Pittsburg in an attempt to visit the Lowe’s Distribution plant for an interview, a location several miles east of the crash site, but missed the exit, then turned around in Sulphur Springs. She was unable to recount to the highway patrol the exact details of the crash, claiming the green Mazda she’d been driving had struck a wall along the highway, the trooper alleged in arrest reports.

The trooper found no evidence of any contact with the wall, but did observe evidence indicating the car went off the highway on the outside lane, where it struck at Texas Department of Transportation sign and a private fence.

After being cleared by EMS, the woman refused transport to the hospital for further examination, according to reports. While interviewing the Pittsburg woman, the trooper detected no alcohol odor on the woman nor in the vehicle, but noted the woman had difficulty explaining why she’d missed her exit by so many miles and why the car veered off the road, the highway patrol noted in arrest reports.

When asked if she was taking any medications, the Pittsburg woman allegedly admitted to being on several, including Adderall, Zoloft, thyroid medication and Welbutrin. When the trooper asked the woman if she’d taken the medications as prescribed she claimed she had. The woman allegedly had slurred speech while trying to explain the crash detail to the trooper.

The DPS officer alleged the woman exhibited signs of intoxication during horizontal gaze nystagmus and standard field sobriety tests. Alternative tests indicated the presence of a substance that would slow the woman’s reaction time, according to arrest reports.

Based on the woman’s admission of prescription drug use, the indicators of intoxication observed and nature of the crash, the trooper took the woman into custody for driving while intoxicated on prescription medication. She agreed to a blood draw for blood analysis, which was taken at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital, before she was booked into the county jail on the misdemeanor DWI charge, according to arrest reports.

The 38-year-old Pittsburg woman as released from Hopkins County jail Friday morning. Bond on the Class B misdemeanor charge was set at $2,000, according to jail reports.

Texas Department of Public Safety highway patrol vehicle

If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1

The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.

Author: KSST Contributor

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