Police: Woman Driving Impaired In Westchester Faces Separate Felony Charge

A swerving driver who apparently was falling asleep at the wheel in Northern Westchester is facing a felony charge for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs, police said.

A 30-year-old woman attempted to lock herself in a vehicle to avoid being arrested for alleged impaired driving.
Photo Credit: *Pixabay*

Yorktown Police Headquarters.
Photo Credit: *Google Maps street view*

Zak Failla

07/27/2020 12:30 p.m.

An officer on patrol on Sunnyside Street at approximately 1:25 a.m. on Thursday, July 23 conducted a traffic stop for a driver that veered into the wrong lane south of Route 6 before coming to a sudden stop in the right shoulder.

Police said that when as he approached the vehicle, the officer found the driver, later identified as Yorktown resident Krystle Fernandez, with her head down and eyes closed. The investigation into the erratic driving found that Fernandez was allegedly under the influence of drugs at the time she stopped the vehicle.

According to police, it was later determined that Fernandez was not permitted to be behind the wheel due to a previous refusal to submit to a chemical test following an arrest for alleged impaired driving. The vehicle she was driving also had no registration or insurance.

When the officer attempted to arrest her, Fernandez locked herself in the vehicle, police said. She continued resisting until two officers were able to take her into custody.

Fernandez, 30, was charged with:

Aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, a felony;
Resisting arrest, a misdemeanor;
Driving while ability impaired by drugs, a misdemeanor;
Suspended registration, a misdemeanor;
No insurance, an infraction;
Failure to keep right, an infraction.

Following her processing, Fernandez was released and scheduled to return to Yorktown Justice Court on Thursday, Sept. 3.

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