Kent Police announced Wednesday afternoon that a 34-year-old woman was arrested and booked for drink-driving after she allegedly lost consciousness behind the wheel with her baby inside and blocking traffic.
According to a Facebook post from the Kent Police Department, the incident happened just before 11:15 a.m. Monday when a police officer and detective responded to the 23500 block of 88 Avenue South for a welfare check. Witnesses called 911 about a woman blocking traffic while passed out in her car. The woman blocked traffic for about 15 minutes.
Just before police responded, first responders from the Puget Sound Fire Department responded and arrived on scene. A firefighter told police that when they walked to the woman’s car, the engine was running and the woman was unconscious behind the wheel. They also saw a 22-month-old baby, who had started crying, in the backseat. They tried to comfort the baby, who was not injured as a result of the incident.
The woman was not injured, police said.
When emergency responders interviewed her at the scene, “she was slurring her words, smelled heavily of intoxicants and could not provide simple information such as her address or her child’s name and age,” police said. Officers saw an open bottle of alcohol on the front seat of the car.
The woman was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, driving while her license was suspended, reckless endangerment, domestic violence due to endangering her baby, and operating a vehicle without an ignition interlock, which is generally required after an arrest in connection with with driving under the influence, police said. .
A family member took the baby into custody after the incident.
