The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
Last Sunday evening, 51-year-old Claudia Patterson, who has several prior infractions for driving under the influence of alcohol, was reportedly driving her truck in Memphis with her young grandson in the vehicle.
An officer with the Memphis Police Department was en route to the scene of an incident when they saw Patterson’s truck and asserted the driver was speeding and maneuvering the vehicle unsafely.
The officer pulled over Patterson, and she allegedly slammed into a curb.
The officer reported that they believed the scent of alcohol was coming from inside the truck and noted that Patterson had a great deal of garbage lying around the vehicle.
Empty beer cans were allegedly scattered throughout the hoard of garbage, and a partially empty bottle of Jim Beam was in Patterson’s handbag.
When she was asked to show her driver’s license to the officer, Patterson reportedly told him that she didn’t have one.
It was discovered that the woman’s license was revoked and that it had been revoked many times before for prior DUI’s.
She was taken into custody and put into the police car for transport to the station when Patterson reportedly mentioned her grandson.
The officer reportedly did not notice a child in the vehicle, but when the truck was inspected, the authorities found the 2-year-old concealed in the accumulation of trash. The youngster was also allegedly without a seatbelt or safety seat.
Patterson is expected to face many charges, including child abuse and neglect, DUI/driving under the influence, driving while license suspended/revoked/canceled, reckless driving, public intoxication, violation of child restraint law, and open container law.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a DUI offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.