On Wednesday, July 15th, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department revealed in a press statement that they arrested a woman for driving while intoxicated and carrying a toddler on her lap. A deputy took Melissa Mendoza, 30, into custody at an intersection in Santa Clarita, California, and she would need a drunk driving attorney.

According to Shirley Miller, the public relations officer for the LACSD Santa Clarita Valley Station, the events that led to the woman’s arrest began around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14th. A male witness spotted the suspect at a stoplight, and she appeared to be sleeping with the 1-year-old child on her lap.

The man flagged down a deputy and described Mendoza and the vehicle she was driving. A short time after, the officer saw an SUV matching the description at a traffic light near Whites Canyon Road and Soledad Canyon Road. The woman appeared to be falling asleep again for the second time.

Miller said the lawman pulled the suspect over and saw that she also had a 5-year-old girl in the back seat without a seatbelt. The deputy conducted a field sobriety test, and the result came back with a .30% blood alcohol concentration. The number is more than three times the legal limit.

The officer arrested Mendoza on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI and felony child endangerment likely to cause great bodily harm. Miller said they booked the woman into jail, and she will remain there until she meets her $200 000 bail bond.

Disclaimer: The Accident News article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.

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