http://www.whas11.com/news/crimetracker/Police-Couple-found-passed-out-behind-the-wheel-while-children-in-car-178125491.html Police find 2 children in car with engine running, parents passed out in front seat
by Amy Stallings WHAS11.com Posted on November 9, 2012 at 12:37 PM LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- A Louisville couple is facing several charges after police said they found the two passed out in a car with their children in the back seat.
Police were called out to the 2500 block of Lindsay Avenue on the report of an intoxicated driver. Upon arrival, police said the found the car and 40-year-old Kerry Poynter and 23-year-old Samantha Poynter passed out in the front seat with the transmission still engaged. Two children, ages 3 and 4, were also in the car - standing, unrestrained in the back seat.
Officers at the scene said the children were unable to wake their parents and were visibly upset. At that time officers reached into the car, placed the transmission into park and shook Kerry to wake him.
According to the police report, Kerry admitted to taking Xanax and Oxycodone. Officers at the scene said Kerry's eyes appeared red and bloodshot, his speech was slurred and he failed field sobriety tests. Police said Samantha was also clearly under the influence of a controlled substance.
After receiving consent to search the car, police said they found a bottle inside Samantha's purse containing nine Alprazaolam pills that did not belong to her.
Kerry is charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, endangering the welfare of a child, failure to maintain required insurance and no registration plates.
Samantha is charged with endangering the welfare of a minor, possession of a controlled substance and public intoxication.
The children were released to their grandmother at the scene.
