Colorado State Patrol seeing more DUIs with children in the car, victim's advocate speaks out
CSP says its Victim's Advocate Unit responds to at least 24 cases a month. Six current advocates are responding to at least four cases a month. When a driver is pulled over for a DUI charge, they face child abuse charges as well.
When a driver is pulled over for a DUI and there's a child in the car, a victim advocate is in charge of making sure the kid is safe and remains calm. The advocate will keep the child distracted with toys, coloring books, and conversation. Their main job is to keep kids away from the adult who was allegedly driving while intoxicated while troopers finish their investigation.
The victim's advocate is called the moment the trooper sees a kid in the car and the driver shows signs of intoxication. This includes alcohol, prescription pills, cannabis, and anything recreational.
If the child is young, like an infant or toddler, the victim advocate will contact the next of kin to pick up the child. If the child is old enough to speak, the victim advocate will ask them which adult they feel comfortable with. With both directions, the adult contacted must be sober and not have any warrants.
The Victim's Advocate Unit says in many cases, after their investigation, they find out the child has been in this type of situation way more than once.
"Many times, we have found out that these children have been put in harm's way more than two, three or even four times by the same parent," Dolores Poeppel, director of Victim Services Unit for CSP. "It's very important that we report it to DHS because we really feel like we are the voice for these children who have been in these circumstances numerous times."
If the next of kin is out of town, the Victim's Advocate Unit will work with local hospitals and law enforcement to keep the children safe until they arrive. The person caught driving under the influence will be arrested and face charges of child abuse and DUI. These are two separate charges.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Virginia State Police identify two victims killed in crash on I-64 in Augusta County
Virginia State Police have identified two people who were killed on Interstate 64 after a truck went off the roadway the morning of July 22 in Augusta County. A 2026 Freightliner TMA crash truck, used to protect workers and motorists in highway work zones, was eastbound on I-64. At approximately 6:19 a.m. at mile marker 89, police said the driver overcorrected, causing the truck to veer off the right side of the interstate. The truck went through a guardrail and down an embankment, striking a tree and overturning on its side. Both the driver and passenger in the truck died at the scene. The driver was identified as Georgeanna L. Hardesty, 51, of Iron Gate. The passenger was Sabrina L. Harris, 50, of Covington. Both were wearing seatbelts, police said. The crash remains under investigation. More: Art Hive calls for help to add accessibility ramp, inclusive mural More: Two Waynesboro police officers indicted amid allegations they assaulted fellow cop More: The Box to offer nightlife and events space in Staunton Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@ You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter). This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Victims in I-64 crash in Augusta County identified by state police Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Shelter-in-place order issued in Harrisonburg after random knife attack injures woman
A shelter-in-place order was issued late in the afternoon in Harrisonburg after a woman was attacked by a stranger with a knife on July 23. The victim, a 54-year-old Harrisonburg resident, was taken to Sentara RMH with critical injuries but she is expected to recover, a press release said. The attack took place in the 1000 block of Chicago Avenue, prompting the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Communication Center to issue the shelter-in-place order for the neighborhood and nearby streets. Officers from the Harrisonburg Police Department immediately began to search the area for the suspect, who fled the scene. A police canine tracked the suspect's scent to a possible location, the release said, which led to surveillance footage being obtained. The footage was shared across multiple platforms, police said, and the suspect was identified as 44-year-old Hunter Booth of Harrisonburg. "The Harrisonburg Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) Team executed a search warrant athis known residence on Chicago Avenue, and Booth was taken into custody without incident," the release said. Booth is charged with attempted first-degree murder. He is being held at the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Regional Jail. More: Round 2: Waynesboro hosting Back to School Bash July 27 More: Virginia State Police identify two victims killed in crash on I-64 in Augusta County Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@ You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter). This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Harrisonburg man charged with attempted first-degree murder
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Delta pilot arrested by federal agents who stormed the cockpit moments after landing in San Francisco
Passengers were left shocked as federal agents stormed the cockpit of Delta flight just moments after the plane landed in San Francisco. One of the plane's pilots was arrested on child porn charges by officers from multiple agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security and the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office. The incident occurred on board Delta Flight 2809 around 9:35 p.m. local time on Saturday. The flight departed from Minneapolis earlier in the day. The landing was delayed due to heavy fog in the Bay Area. Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin reported that the pilot was arrested on charges related to child sexual abuse materials. 'A group of people with badges, guns, and different agency vests/markings were pushing their way up through the aisle to the cockpit,' first class passenger Sarah Christianson told The San Francisco Chronicle. She also described the officers as having 'stormed the cockpit, cuffed the co-pilot, arrested him, walked him down the aisle, and ushered him off the plane through the cabin doors located between first and coach.' Christianson told the newspaper that the other pilot told the passengers that he was just as confused as everybody else about what was going on. She went on to describe the incident as 'shocking and unnerving.' Christianson said that she counted around ten officers involved in the arrest. In a separate interview, Christianson said that she was reduced to tears following the ordeal. 'It was scary. It was traumatic to watch. As soon as my husband picked me up from baggage claim, I jumped in the car and cried. Because who knows what's happening to that poor person? Why that happened? What did we just see?' she told ABC San Francisco. After the pilot was led away, officers remained on board, collecting his belongings. He had not been publicly identified. Video of the arrest was published by aviation blog A View From the Wing. Just last week, a Delta pilot was arrested in Sweden after allegedly failing a breathalyzer test, something the pilot and the airline have denied.
