Ukiah Woman Accused Of 4th DUI Offense, Child Endangerment
SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) -- A woman was arrested in Santa Rosa Thursday evening when officers allegedly found her driving drunk with her 14-year-old son in what may turn out to be her fourth DUI offense.
California Highway Patrol Officer Crandon Kopriva was on patrol in Santa Rosa when he received a report of a possible drunk driver on southbound U.S. Highway 101 near Lytton Springs Road, CHP officials said.
The reports said that the Dodge truck was weaving between lanes, speeding, tailgating and had almost caused several collisions.
Kopriva located the truck at College Avenue, and saw it weaving and tailgating. While exiting the freeway at College Avenue, the truck nearly collided with stopped traffic.
The driver did not follow Kopriva's directions, the CHP said, but finally stopped near Morgan Street.
Kopriva spoke to the driver of the truck, identified by the CHP as Sara Gamponia, 33, of Ukiah, but she could not provide a valid license.
CHP officers said that a records check showed that Gamponia had three prior convictions for DUI, two of which were in 2011, and she was on probation.
Kopriva said that Gamponia appeared intoxicated, and that she failed field sobriety tests and was unsure whether she was in Santa Rosa or Hopland.
Gamponia was arrested and refused to perform either breath or blood tests as required by law. She was booked on charges of DUI, child endangerment, driving while suspended, violation of probation and faces a felony charge of having four DUIs within 10 years.
Her 14-year-old son was in the truck with her, and was transported to the Rohnert Park CHP office where he was picked up by his grandmother.
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