Woman Charged With Endangering 4-Year-Old While Driving Impaired; Syringes Found In Vehicle

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 37-year-old woman has been charged after police said she was driving under the influence last Wednesday, with a 4-year-old in her vehicle.

At about 6:26 p.m., multiple callers alerted police that a vehicle on Interstate 35E was striking highway barriers, along with other concerning conduct.

One of the reporting parties indicated that the suspect appeared to be passed out at one point, as they thought her eyes appeared closed. The witness also indicated that the suspect vehicle was all over the road, driving through intersections, driving the wrong way into oncoming traffic and almost side-swiping a semi-truck.

Eagan police located the suspect vehicle on Lexington Avenue stopped at a red light. An officer activated sirens and pulled over the vehicle on Savannah Road.

The officer observed the driver's side mirror was missing and other fresh damage. The officer also located a 4-year-old child on the rear passenger seat in a booster seat, but not buckled in.

Authorities identified the driver as Jamie Lee Halverson of Apple Valley.

When speaking her, the officer noted she was slurring her words and having difficulties conversing. She was then asked to take a few sobriety tests.

The officer said she exhibited numerous clues of impairment in each test. Halverson stated that she had not been consuming alcohol, but that she was just really nervous. She was then asked to take a breathalyzer test, where she blew 0.00.

It was believed by the officer that Halverson was operating the vehicle under the influence of a substance other than alcohol. Officers then conducted a search of the vehicle and located numerous capped and uncapped syringes, but no drugs were found.

She was then taken to jail. The jail staff contacted police to report that they located a hidden spoon and syringe in her possession.

Halverson has been charged with one count of first-degree driving while impaired - under the influence of a controlled substance, and one count of child endangerment. She also has three previous convictions for driving under the influence dating back to 2014.

If convicted, she could face up to eight years in prison.