LEWISBURG – A Lewisburg woman is facing multiple charges, including driving under the influence with a minor, child neglect, and shoplifting, after police say she drove erratically with her daughter in the car and admitted to stealing flowers from a closed Walmart.
An officer from the Lewisburg Police Department stopped Rebekah Simmons on April 30 after noticing her red Chevrolet pickup exiting a Go Mart parking lot by stopping in the oncoming traffic lane before merging into her own. The vehicle had an expired registration sticker, no registration lights, and a non-functioning third brake light, according to the criminal complaint.
During the stop, the officer noted that Simmons displayed signs of impairment, such as slurred speech and difficulty following instructions. She agreed to field sobriety tests, which revealed additional signs of intoxication.
Simmons’ daughter, a juvenile, was inside the vehicle and told police that her mother had driven off the road into a ditch near Shoney’s, crossing both lanes of traffic and hitting their heads inside the truck.
The Lewisburg Police Department also responded to the scene, where the child informed officers that her mother had taken flowers from Walmart without paying because the store was closed and that they planned to pay later.
EMS was dispatched after the juvenile reported dizziness and “crooked” vision. Despite being evaluated by medics, Simmons’ mother declined hospital treatment for her child when she arrived.
Police obtained a search warrant for a blood draw to detect impairing substances. Simmons was transported to Greenbrier Valley Medical Center, where her blood was drawn and she was cleared of injuries. She was then taken to Southern Regional Jail.
Simmons has been charged with DUI with a minor, child neglect posing a risk of injury, shoplifting, driving without insurance, and expired registration. A referral was sent to Child Protective Services.
