Woman says ‘cat trapping’ job reason for quick exit from highway

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Photo: Debra May Rios

A Yellville woman had a novel excuse for her erratic driving, but it didn’t work, and she wound up with drug-related charges anyway.

According to the probable cause affidavit, 51-year-old Debra May Rios told a Baxter County deputy sheriff she was trying to find an address in the Midway area where she had been sent to “trap a cat.”

Rios entered a not guilty plea to several drug-related charges stemming from the traffic stop in late April during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.

The deputy reported spotting a vehicle being driven by Rios just after midnight executing out-of-the ordinary maneuvers – including making a U-turn on Arkansas Highway 126 North without giving a signal and crossing double yellow lines in the process.

When the deputy got behind the vehicle, Rios quickly pulled into a driveway.

After he made contact with Rios, the deputy reported detecting the faint odor of marijuana coming from the interior of the vehicle. He asked her why she had so abruptly pulled into the address. She used the cat trapping job as the reason.

Rios was reported to have questioned the reason for a requested search of her vehicle and asked if it was necessary. The deputy said the search request was based on her erratic driving and the faint odor of marijuana coming from inside the car.

Since she had been hesitant to allow the search, the deputy instructed her to wait until a Mountain Home Police Department drug dog could come to the location.

At that point, Rios admitted she had marijuana in the vehicle.

The deputy found two small containers with marijuana inside as well as a smoking pipe. He also reported finding two small plastic bags containing methamphetamine and a digital scale.

Rios is free on a $7,500 bond.

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