A Missouri woman, 36-year-old Elizabeth Meskimen of Bakersfield, has been charged with driving while intoxicated (prior offender), three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and operating a vehicle in a careless manner involving an accident in connection with a Valentine’s Day crash.
The Ozark County Times reports Meskimen is scheduled to make her initial court appearance before Associate Circuit Judge Raymond Gross May 11.
According to the probable cause statement, a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer was dispatched to a crash on Missouri Highway 101 near Missouri Route O in Bakersfield.
The officer reported, “When I arrived on scene, first responders notified me the people involved in the crash were inside a pickup truck to stay warm due to the extremely cold temperatures.”
The crash report says Meskimen’s vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. The report says a 10-year-old boy was injured in the crash. The vehicle was a total loss and was towed from the scene.
The officer reported he went to the pickup to speak with Meskimen and the three children and reported “Meskimen seemed slow to react to the overhead light when I opened the door. Her movements were lethargic, and her speech was slurred and raspy. Her eyes were glassy, and I could smell a moderate odor of intoxicants coming from inside the vehicle.”
A breath sample indicated Meskimen was positive for alcohol, showing a blood alcohol content of .327%. It is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent in Missouri, meaning Meskimen’s blood alcohol content was more than four times the legal limit.
A second test over an hour later revealed a blood alcohol content of .260%.
If convicted of the five Class A misdemeanors, Meskimen could face punishment of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
The complaint filed by Ozark County Prosecuting Attorney John Garrabrant indicates that Meskimen is charged as a prior offender based on a Sept. 23, 2019, conviction of driving while intoxicated in Howell County. The prior offender status means Meskimen will be required to serve at least 10 days’ imprisonment if convicted, before she’s eligible for probation or parole.
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