Holly Schnobrich.
Posted on 08/31/2007 8:47:07 AM PDT by Kimmers
Lafayette - A woman is in jail for allegedly allowing her five-year-old child to drive a car. Neighbors were able to prevent the situation from turning into a tragedy over the weekend.
The car speeding around the corner near Wendy Barrett's Lafayette home, its tires screeching, wasn't driven by someone running late before it made a abrupt stop near her driveway.
"I saw a toddler at the wheel and another toddler on the console. I said, 'Ma'am, are you letting your toddler drive?' She said, 'Yes. He's a good driver,'" said Barrett.
Holly Schnobrich, 24, of Lafayette was also a passenger in the car. She's now in jail, charged with two counts of neglect of a dependent and one count of public intoxication. She is the mother of the five-year-old boy driving the car. Her three-year-old was also in the car.
"He was on his knees saying he was driving mommy's car and having trouble reaching the pedal," said Barrett.
Barrett and her neighbors quickly grabbed the keys and pulled the children from the car before calling 911. They say Schnobrich was visibly impaired and asked for the keys so she could drive away with the children.
According to a police report, the woman's speech was slurred and she failed all field sobriety tests. She also allegedly told deputies that she'd taken Percocet, a prescription painkiller for "when the kids are acting wild."
Prosecutors and witnesses believe this isn't the first time Schnobrich has let the five-year-old drive. Her arrest comes just four days into probation after pleading guilty to DUI. Officers also allegedly found a large bottle of over- the-counter sleeping pills recently purchased and nearly consumed.
"These children were placed in great danger by the person who legally should be providing the care and protection of them," said Patrick Harrington, Tippecanoe County prosecutor.
Police say Schnobrich endangered her children and anyone on the road near their car Saturday night. The children were safely taken by the Department of Child Services.
Police also say Schnobrich also was the only one in the car wearing a seatbelt.
Grandpa seemed like an ok guy....
He's got a future in NASCAR.
I’d like to quibble with the headline. Having a child does not make one a mother. Being a mother involves a hell of a lot more work than just giving birth.
Holly Schnobrich.
He may not know all of the rules of the road but he doesn't talk on a cellphone when he drives.
Far more than “one brich shy of a load.” “Schobrichs at all, oshifer.”
Holly Schnobrich aka Brittney Spears
“He’s got a future in NASCAR.”
Little Ricky Bobby.
Moderately Guilty.
I wanna go fast!
Her arrest comes just four days into probation after pleading guilty to DUI. Officers also allegedly found a large bottle of over- the-counter sleeping pills recently purchased and nearly consumed."These children were placed in great danger by the person who legally should be providing the care and protection of them," said Patrick Harrington, Tippecanoe County prosecutor.
Police say Schnobrich endangered her children and anyone on the road near their car Saturday night.
It would seem that even if she didn't own a car (no DUI charge, no children driving charge) she'd still be incapacitated as a caregiver and guardian by consuming a bottle of sleeping pills. But that isn't considered "endangerment".
There are probably twenty Lafayettes in the USA - so I click through to the site to find out more info and the site doesn't identify which state either, so you have to click through multiple articles on the source site to piece together where in the country this happened.
IN in this case.
Yeah, it's hard to say. She might clean up well.
I heard about this on our local radio station’s Morons In The News segment. The mother definitely qualified from what I heard. I am glad the boys are ok.
Lafayette, Indiana.
I'll second that! Drives me crazy trying to find out WHERE!
Holy SOB?
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