CROSS LANES, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A Wisconsin woman was arrested late Wednesday night after Kanawha County deputies responded to a call about a driver nodding off at a Taco Bell in Cross Lanes.
Deputies arrived shortly after 11:00 p.m. and found 40-year-old Nicole M. Coyne of Brookfield, Wisconsin, slumped over the center console of her vehicle, unresponsive.
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After multiple attempts to wake her, deputies entered the vehicle and discovered several open cans of IPA beer scattered inside.
More concerning, five minor children—ranging in age from 2 months to 6 years old—were also in the vehicle.
Deputies reported that the infant was not secured in a car seat and was crying hysterically, dangerously close to falling.
The vehicle’s rear floorboard was so cluttered with trash that deputies feared the infant could have suffocated if she had fallen.
The other children were found wearing soiled diapers and urine-soaked clothing, showing clear signs of neglect.
When deputies woke Coyne, they observed a strong smell of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, and an inability to provide her name or date of birth.
She was unable to walk without assistance and refused to cooperate with the DUI investigation, declining field sobriety and chemical tests.
Coyne was arrested and charged with five counts of misdemeanor DUI with a minor and five counts of felony child neglect creating a risk of serious bodily injury.
She is currently being held at South Central Regional Jail on a $5,000 surety/cash bond, set after her initial appearance before a Kanawha County magistrate.
The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office commended Sergeant S.M. Adams for her swift response, stating that her decisive action likely prevented a tragic outcome.
