Police: Drunken driver wreaks havoc at Oakdale

WALLINGFORD » Two pedestrians and six vehicles were struck by an alleged drunken driver who refused to stop Friday night in the Oakdale Theatre parking lot, according to a police press release.

Shelby Coughlin, 24, of Milford, struck a pedestrian at about 11:30 p.m. and then struck another person on foot who tried to make her stop as she attempted to flee the scene, police said. When an officer tried to get Coughlin’s speeding car to stop, it struck the parked cars, the release said, injuring one vehicle’s occupant.

Police officers, already on scene as part of a security detail for the Rick Ross concert , ran alongside Coughlin’s vehicle and were able to break the window and bring the vehicle to a stop, police said.

As officers removed Coughlin from the vehicle, she became combative and resisted arrest, according to the release. When officers placed her in a police cruiser, she bit an officer, causing a minor injury, police said. During transport to the police department, the release said, Coughlin repeatedly kicked the inside of the cruiser, damaging a rear door and the attached speed radar unit.

Both pedestrians, one officer and one occupant of a struck vehicle were transported to the hospital for reportedly minor injuries.

Coughlin was charged with driving while intoxicated, evading responsibility, reckless driving, disobeying an officer’s signal, second-degree criminal attempted assault, assault with a motor vehicle, assault on a police officer, second-degree criminal mischief and first-degree reckless endangerment.

Coughlin is being held at police headquarters in lieu of $5,000 bail.