Accident results in neglect charges
Published 10:24 am Wednesday, February 25, 2009
A Sioux Falls, S.D. woman has been charged following an accident that occurred after she was allegedly drinking, using drugs and text-messaging with her 18-month-old in the car.
Sarah Jean Monen, 23, was arrested after a two-vehicle collision on Interstate 90 Feb. 13.
According to court documents, Monen claimed she was driving from Pennsylvania to South Dakota when the incident occurred around 7:55 p.m. in Grand Meadow Township.
Two witnesses at the scene estimated the defendant was driving approximately 90 mph, and they saw her swerving from shoulder to shoulder. The driver of the other vehicle claimed he or she was struck from behind.
Monen told police she had been texting and surfing the Internet on her Blackberry, and had drank a bottle of beer in Indiana.
She failed all sobriety tests and was reportedly aggressive toward law enforcement. Record show she did not have insurance or driver’s license information in her vehicle.
Marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a bottle of beer were allegedly found in her vehicle. Urine, feces and vomit saturated the car seat, which jail staff had to clean.
The Mower County Department of Humane Service took temporary custody of the child, which had not been changed or fed that day, although clean diapers were in the defendant’s purse.
Monen, who has a prior DWI conviction in South Dakota from 2004, is charged with gross misdemeanor criminal vehicular operation; DWI; endangering a child in a situation that could cause harm or death; neglect of a child; misdemeanor open bottle; and drug possession.
Bail was set at $12,000 or $3,000 with conditions.
She is scheduled for arraignment in Mower County District Court Thursday.