COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS, Utah — A mother allegedly driving under the influence was cited for a felony Wednesday after being pulled over for a broken tail light.
Sgt. Scott Peck with the Cottonwood Heights Police Department said an officer pulled over 27-year-old Danielle Lucero at 1300 East near Fort Union Blvd. after he noticed her tail light was out.
According to police, the officer noticed that two small children were in the back seat not sitting in child safety seats, and he also noticed some liquid that smelled like alcohol draining out of the side of the vehicle.
Peck said after running Lucero’s license, the officer found she was a restricted driver with three previous DUI convictions. She was also required to use an ignition interlock to start her car. Officers said there wasn’t an ignition interlock in the car they pulled over.
Lucero was given a breath test where she blew a .153, which is twice the legal limit, according to police.
Peck said the officer cited Lucero for a felony, but didn’t book her into jail because she claimed there was no one to look after her kids.
“Because of the trauma that comes with taking kids away from their mom we didn’t book her in jail last night,” Peck said. “We allowed someone to come get the mom and the kids and take them all together just for their sake, otherwise she would have been booked last night.”
The car Lucero was driving was impounded.
