A woman in Kentucky was arrested after she crashed a car into a tree with three children in the vehicle, and she told police that “of course” she drank alcohol prior to the incident.
Jamel Pugh was charged with first-degree wanton endangerment, failure to use a child-restraint device in a vehicle, endangering the welfare of a minor and driving on a DUI-suspended license.
She was arrested on Saturday, September 19, and was booked into the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections.
On the day of the crash, Pugh, 39, was driving with three children in her vehicle in Louisville, Kentucky. She allegedly hit a speed bump, causing the vehicle to crash into a tree.
Police responded to the area and found that the car was damaged in the front, according to an arrest citation obtained by WHAS. Pugh and three children, who were “crying and moaning,” were all at the scene when authorities arrived.
Officers said that the children sustained serious injuries. One of the kids had blood dripping from her nose and mouth, and her shirt was covered in blood. Meanwhile, the two other kids were said to be “hurting bad.” One child reported that they were experiencing pain in their face, while the other felt pain in their stomach.
As emergency workers took care of the kids, police launched an investigation into the crash.
Pugh reportedly told the officers that she was driving the speed limit when she drove over the bump and hit the tree. However, investigators learned that the speed bump was approximately 100 to 150 yards from the crash site and the damage from the vehicle indicated that she was speeding.
Authorities noted that Pugh also allegedly did not make sure that two of the three kids were in a car seat or booster seat prior to the crash. She was then arrested, and an officer reportedly detected the scent of alcohol on her while she was being booked.
She was asked if she was drinking before the crash, and Pugh reportedly told the officers that they “shouldn’t be stupid, if I go out to have a good time with my family of course I’m going to have a drink.”
Pugh then allegedly claimed that she had one vodka drink before she got behind the wheel.
The defendant will next appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, September 29.
It is not currently clear if Pugh has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following her arrest.
