There are plenty of reasons a vehicle might be stopped in the middle of an intersection. Finding the driver asleep behind the wheel with a child in the backseat and an open bottle of tequila on the floor is about as alarming as it gets.
According to the Tulsa Police Department, officers responded to a call at approximately 4:30 am on August 1 regarding a driver who had reportedly passed out near the intersection of 3600 N. Peoria Ave. When they arrived, paramedics were already attempting to wake the driver.
Police say the driver, identified as 32-year-old Melissa Hughes, began to regain consciousness after officers opened the vehicle’s door. Inside the vehicle, officers also found Hughes’ 13-year-old child sitting in the backseat along with an open bottle of tequila on the floorboard.
According to investigators, Hughes admitted she had consumed “a few shots” earlier in the night. Officers then asked her to perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, which police say she did not perform successfully.
Hughes also agreed to take Oklahoma’s breath test. Unfortunately, you can probably guess how that went.
Breath Test Results Led to Child Endangerment and Aggravated DUI Charges
According to the Tulsa Police Department, she provided two breath samples that registered 0.13% and 0.15%, both well above Oklahoma’s legal blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.08%.
Following the investigation, Hughes was arrested and booked into the Tulsa County Jail on charges of child endangerment, aggravated DUI, and transporting an open container.
The Tulsa Police Department noted that the arrest remains an allegation and that Hughes is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Commenters Focused on the Child More Than the Arrest
The department’s Facebook post quickly filled with reactions, many of which centered on the 13-year-old passenger rather than the driver’s alleged intoxication. One commenter called the child “the only victim here,” adding that they hoped the incident would serve as a wake-up call for the mother to make better decisions going forward.
Others questioned what the child experienced during the incident. One person wondered why the teenager remained in the vehicle while the driver was unconscious, while another said the situation highlighted the importance of teaching children what to do during emergencies, noting that another vehicle could have easily struck the stopped car.
Some commenters speculated whether alcohol was the only substance involved, pointing to Hughes’ appearance in the body camera footage. Others focused on the legal consequences, predicting she would have a difficult time getting her driver’s license back and joking that rideshare services would likely become her primary transportation.
There were also a handful of lighter remarks mixed into the discussion, but the overwhelming tone remained one of concern for the child and hope that the incident would become a turning point rather than the start of something worse.
As with all criminal cases, the charges against Hughes are allegations. She is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.