BEDFORD – A Bedford woman was arrested on Friday, June 21, after police found her passed out in a vehicle at a local gas station.
Claire Stinson, 45, of 1905 14th St Apt. 6, faces preliminary charges of operating while intoxicated (OWI), OWI Per Se (pending blood test results), and possession of a controlled substance.
Bedford Police Department officers were dispatched to the Circle K in the 1300 block of Lincoln Avenue around 1:55 p.m. after a caller reported a female asleep in a silver Toyota for several hours. Officer Sarah Haluda and Officer Hatton arrived to find a silver Toyota Corolla, bearing an Illinois license plate, parked at an angle. Inside, Claire Stinson was observed slumped forward in the driver’s seat, her hands on the keys, sweating profusely despite the partially open windows.
According to Officer Haluda’s probable cause affidavit, Stinson was unresponsive to knocking on the window. When the officers opened the door, Stinson was startled awake but appeared disoriented, stating she was hot and had fallen asleep.
Upon exiting the vehicle, Stinson was unsteady on her feet and stumbled multiple times. She provided an inconsistent account of her arrival time at the gas station, claiming she had been there only a short while after leaving a bank, despite a witness indicating she had been present since approximately 12:04 p.m. and had not entered the store. Stinson also had difficulty focusing on questions; her eyelids were drooping, and she began to “melt” into the floor while attempting to use her phone.
Stinson denied consent to search her vehicle, claiming it was a rental, and was unable to provide any rental paperwork. She eventually agreed to Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFSTs) and a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evaluation. Officer Hatton transported Stinson to IU Health Bedford Hospital, where blood samples were drawn for toxicology testing.
During the DRE evaluation conducted by Officer J. Haluda at the hospital, Stinson disclosed she was taking Suboxone, Gabapentin, and Klonopin, stating she had taken Suboxone and Gabapentin shortly before driving. The evaluation indicated signs of impairment. Officer J. Haluda concluded that Stinson was under the influence of a central nervous system depressant and unable to operate a vehicle safely.
A vehicle inventory by police revealed a gray zipper pouch containing numerous prescription pill bottles. While some belonged to Stinson, several had inconsistencies, including medications past their prescribed usage period. One bottle was labeled for another individual and contained Suboxone. Another bottle of Clonazepam (Klonopin) had a partially removed label, and its readable portion did not appear to belong to Stinson, despite the bottle being labeled for Suboxone. An INSPECT report indicated Stinson had filled a Gabapentin prescription two days prior, but was missing more pills than accounted for by the prescribed dosage. Stinson reportedly admitted that the Suboxone films belonged to another female who was “paying her back” for loaning out her Suboxone prescription.
Stinson was taken into custody and transported to the Lawrence County Jail. No arrest warrant was required. Authorities are awaiting the blood test results, and video from Circle K is being obtained for the investigation.
A Probable Cause Affidavit outlines the initial findings and allegations that led to an arrest. Criminal charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
