Benton woman stopped for traffic offenses facing felonies

A Benton woman initially stopped for speeding and arrested for driving while intoxicated Sunday afternoon was soon facing other charges after a gun and drug paraphernalia were allegedly found.

Annamarie Paulus, 50, who is a felon, was ultimately charged with a felony count of possession of a firearm by certain persons, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and misdemeanor counts of DWI and two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to one year in jail.

Paulus, who was also cited for impeding traffic, no proof of insurance and having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, was being held on a $4,500 bond and was set

to appear Monday in Garland County District Court.

According to the probable cause affidavit, shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday, Arkansas State Police Trooper Ryan Wingo saw a gray Toyota Camry westbound on 70 east traveling at a high rate of speed. He was unable to lock the vehicle’s speed on his radar and attempted to catch up to the car in the 1700 block of East Grand Avenue.

The vehicle slowed down drastically as it entered the city limits to the point it was traveling 25 mph in a 45 mph zone. He finally pulled it over in the 1100 block of East Grand and made contact with the driver, later identified as Paulus, who reportedly told him she was “going through some things” and then pointed to a marijuana pipe in the center console.

She reportedly admitted to smoking marijuana while driving prior to being stopped, but noted she had a medical marijuana card which she showed Wingo along with her driver’s license. Wingo noted Paulus was “fidgety and nervous” while talking with him and not talking in clear or coherent sentences.

“Ms. Paulus made little or no sense when talking to her,” he stated. A computer check confirmed she had a medical marijuana card but also revealed she was convicted of a felony count of second-degree escape in Jefferson County in 1993.

In searching her vehicle, troopers allegedly found a large opened bottle of Jagermeister in the passenger side floorboard, multiple containers of marijuana labeled for her, a pink marijuana grinder, and a .22-caliber revolver.

Troopers conducted field sobriety tests on Paulus and reportedly determined she was under the influence so she was taken into custody. Once at the detention center, she declined to submit to any further testing.