BEDFORD — A Bedford woman with previous convictions for operating a vehicle while intoxicated was arrested after police observed her driving a car that had lost its front tire, resulting in a certified blood alcohol concentration over four times the legal limit.
Penny Middleton, 44, was taken into custody and charged with OWI with a prior conviction and OWI per se.
According to an Affidavit for Probable Cause filed by Bedford Police Department Officer Taylor Daugherty, the incident began at approximately 12:04 a.m. on November 17. Officer Daugherty, who was patrolling near Lincoln Avenue and 6th Street, observed a silver 2004 Pontiac Sunfire traveling north on Lincoln Avenue when the front passenger tire fell completely off the rim.
The affidavit states that despite losing the tire, the vehicle continued northbound, increasing its speed, before turning east onto 6th Street and then north onto N Street. Officer Daugherty initiated a traffic stop near 5th Street and N Street.
Upon making contact with the driver, identified as Penny Middleton, Officer Daugherty noted an odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from the vehicle. When asked about the missing tire, Middleton stated she did not know it had fallen off, though she admitted she was aware of an issue with the tire but couldn’t afford to fix it. She denied having been drinking.
Officer Daugherty administered three standardized field sobriety tests, which she failed.
After the failed tests, Middleton consented to a preliminary breath test, which yielded a high result of 0.216%.
Middleton was transported to the Bedford Police Department after submitting to a certified chemical test. The test, administered at 12:42 a.m., resulted in a certified blood-alcohol content of 0.222%.
The affidavit notes that Middleton has prior convictions for operating while intoxicated, specifically referencing case numbers from 2021 and a felony conviction from 2023. Due to these prior offenses, the current charge is elevated to a felony.
Middleton was transported to the Lawrence County Jail for housing. Stone City Collision towed her vehicle. The affidavit confirms that Middleton was on probation following the prior conviction.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the Probable Cause Affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
