Charges: Woman Drove While High On Meth With Child In Car
MINNEAPOOLIS (WCCO) – A 27-year-old woman is accused of driving while she was high on methamphetamine in Coon Rapids with a child in her car, according to charges filed in Anoka County Court.
Leighann Rae Beaulieu was charged with fifth-degree controlled substance possession and third-degree driving while impaired in connection with the incident, which happened Monday.
According to the charges, an Anoka County sheriff's deputy was called at about 5:18 p.m. to a report of an impaired driver with a minor male child at the Dairy Queen in Coon Rapids. The officer found the vehicle and the driver, identified as Beaulieu, with a male child parked and taking up two spots. She had slurred speech, and the child, who is less than 8 years old, was not in a legally required car seat.
The complaint states Beaulieu denied that she had been drinking or using drugs, but said she was going to treatment "tomorrow." Beaulieu had been at the Dairy Queen and had difficulty placing an order. She had difficulty with field sobriety tests and appeared very anxious. She was arrested for suspected driving while impaired with a child in the car.
The complaint states in a search of the vehicle, officers found cut red straws, a digital scale and a meth pipe. Beaulieu had a white, chunky rock wrapped inside a receipt in her pocket.
According to the complaint, Beaulieu admitted to authorities at the jail that she smoked meth within 24 hours of the traffic stop. She also said the substance, straws, pipe and scale found on her and in the vehicle contained cocaine and were hers.
Beaulieu has a previous drug conviction from October of 2009. If convicted on the current charges, she faces up to six years in prison and $13,000 in fines.
