Allegations of littering lead to chase, North Carolina DWI charge
Many drunk driving cases start with an investigation of some other alleged traffic violation. While many Pitt County DWI stories in the news start with talk of a traffic stop based upon allegations of reckless driving or weaving, other cases may start with a broken tail light, or allegations of speeding. A recent story comes from Burke County and Caldwell County.
A Burke County deputy says he saw a woman throw a cup out the window of her car during the middle of the day. The deputy says he turned on his lights and pulled the car over. The woman reportedly stopped and got out of her car and yelled to the deputy it was an emergency situation.
The deputy says the woman got back in her car and sped off. The woman reportedly drove to the highway and continued on as the officer followed in chase. The woman is said to have crossed over the county line, entering Caldwell County where she was forced to stop at a red light at a busy intersection.
Law enforcement from Caldwell County and the deputy from Burke County say they surrounded the woman’s vehicle at the intersection. The officer originally intended to give the woman a littering ticket roughly 15 minutes before the multiple officers surrounded her car in Caldwell County.
The woman reportedly told the News Herald she was driving to the hospital where her mother was having a heart attack. She did not want to stop and risk not seeing her mother.
After the incident, the woman has been charged with DWI, failure to stop for blue light and sirens, open container and littering.
Source: Morgantown News Herald, “Trash toss leads to chase, third DWI,” Matthew Hensley, Aug. 19, 2011
Tags: Allegations, Carolina, Charge, chase, lead, littering, North