Cops: Drunk woman tried to pick up child from school
WILTON — A 41-yearold woman led police on a brief chase after a Wilton school deemed her too drunk to leave with her 4-year-old child in her custody, police said.
Police said Jolene Matthews, 41, of Monroe, N.Y., tried to pick up her daughter from the Goddard School around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, but was refused when officials determined she was intoxicated.
As employees contacted police, Matthews fled the school in a black Volkswagen.
When officers tried to pull over Matthews nearby on Kristine Lilly Way, police said she evaded them and continued driving toward Danbury Road. Police said Matthews’ escape was cut short by traffic at the intersection of Danbury and School roads, where police boxed in her car with their cruisers.
Despite being pulled over, police said Matthews refused to exit the vehicle. Eventually, police were forced to break the driver’s side window and turn off the vehicle themselves.
Police said Matthews had a heavy odor of alcohol on her breath and glassy eyes. Inside of the car, they found a coffee cup filled with wine, as well as the plastic bag that previously held the alcoholic beverage.
Matthews refused to submit to the field sobriety test, and later refused a breath test.
Matthews was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, interfering with an officer, operating an unregistered vehicle and failure to wear a seat belt. She was initially held on $ 500 bond, but was released by the State Bail Commission later that night on a promise to appear in court June 25.
Police said the 4-year-old was later picked up by her father.