A woman has claimed to arresting officers that the GPS device in her car led her to crash into a sand trap in a golf course, and not driving under the influence of alcohol, as reported by several media sites include the News Telegram.
Police officers with the Uxbridge department thought otherwise.
On Saturday, June 16, at approximately 5:45 p.m., the woman, P.A.M., 46, drove her green Buick into a sand trap located in the Whitinsville Golf Club in Northbridge. The woman, and her car, remained stuck in the sand when police arrived on scene.
Golfers were on the course at the time of the crash but none were injured.
The report written by Northbridge Police Officer R.L. said that P.A.M., a resident in the 400 block of Sutton St., "stated that her GPS had told her to turn left. She stated that this left brought her into a 'cornfield' and once she was in the 'cornfield' she kept driving trying to get out of her 'cornfield.' "
The officer also wrote that P.A.M. said that she "did not even like golf."
The course is near the town line on Fletcher Street.
An Uxbridge Police Officer, T.B.S. Jr., alerted officials in the Northbridge police department that P.A.M. was seen driving erratically and entering the golf course at approximately 45 mph.
The Uxbridge officer had been following P.A.M. after receiving a call from her ex-boyfriend who stated that she had violated a no-trespassing order. P.A.M. had allegedly broken into the home on Sutton Street to retrieve some of her things.
The Buick was discovered by Northbridge police, with its rear wheels in the air and the front end damaged. While P.A.M. remained in the car, the vehicle had dropped approximately eight to 10 feet from the top of the bunker.
Officer R.L. noted a heavy odor of alcohol emitting from the vehicle. The officer also detected that P.A.M.'s speech was slurred and her eyes were both watery and bloodshot. After administering a field sobriety test – which she failed – P.A.M. told Officer R.L. that she had drank a half liter of vodka at about 10 that same morning.
A large plastic cup from a fast-food restaurant was found in the Buick, by Northbridge Police Officer M.L., and it contained alcohol.
P.A.M. was then arrested and now faces charges including: driving with a suspended license; drunken driving, fourth offense; negligent driving; and driving with an open container of alcohol in the car.
P.A.M. is currently being held on $10,000 cash bail. She was not allowed a release based on personal recognizance as she has two pending cases against her. She faced arraignment on June 4 for drug charges and another arraignment on April 30 for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
If you are facing one or more charges relating to DUI, DWI, OUI or OWI, you must contact a DUI attorney to best represent you in every aspect of your case.