A Bellefontaine woman is facing an operating a vehicle under the influence charge after police say she drove erratically, hit a fire hydrant, and admitted to taking prescription medications before driving early Sunday morning.
Officers were dispatched just after 2:15 a.m. to the Speedway on East Sandusky Avenue after a caller reported a black SUV had driven over a curb while leaving the gas station and nearly hit other vehicles.
Police found the SUV later partially in the roadway before it pulled into a nearby driveway.
Officers said the driver, Debra Green, appeared confused and had difficulty operating the vehicle, including accidentally rolling down the wrong window and struggling to put the SUV in park.
According to the report, Green admitted she had struck a curb while leaving the gas station.
Officers noted heavy damage to the front passenger side of the vehicle with red paint transfer on the bumper.
While another officer investigated the area around Speedway, police found a fire hydrant that had been struck and moved from its original position.
Two floor mats believed to have fallen from Green’s vehicle were also found nearby.
During the investigation, Green told officers she had not consumed alcohol but had taken prescribed 5-milligram THC gummies around 10:00 p.m.
She later admitted she had also taken prescription medication before driving.
Police said Green became so drowsy during the stop that she fell asleep inside her vehicle.
When asked to step out, officers reported she was extremely unsteady on her feet, had thick, slurred speech, drooping eyelids, and struggled to remain awake during field sobriety testing.
Based on her condition and statements, Green was arrested on suspicion of operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs.
She was transported to the Bellefontaine Police Department, where she consented to providing a urine sample for analysis by the Ohio State Highway Patrol crime lab.
A Drug Recognition Expert also conducted an evaluation.
Green was later released to a sober driver after being issued an OVI citation.
Her vehicle was towed from the scene, and the investigation remains pending laboratory results.
