Cody woman strikes transformer while driving, arrest for DUI

A Cody woman was charged May 1 with careless driving and driving under the influence of a controlled substance after she allegedly struck a transformer on 19th Street, telling officers she had taken several oxycodone pills that day, the affidavit said.

Sandra J. Hendricks, 63, pleaded not guilty to all charges during her May 2 arraignment in Park County Circuit Court.

Cody Police Officer Brandon Tilman was initially sent to a motor vehicle crash on 19th Street after Park County Dispatch advised him that a single vehicle had struck a transformer and the female driver was bleeding, the affidavit said.

At the scene, Tilman observed a blue Nissan with its front bumper pushed into a patio belonging to a residence on 19th Street, the affidavit said.

"There was damage to the front driver side of the vehicle, the driver side air bag had deployed and a single female occupant was sitting in the driver's seat," Tilman wrote in the affidavit.

Hendricks was identified as the driver, the affidavit said.

"While checking the crash scene, I did not observe any tire marks on 19th Street indicating the vehicle applied the brakes or tried to maneuver to avoid leaving the roadway," Tilman said in the affidavit.

As West Park Hospital medical personnel were evaluating Hendricks at the scene, she said "she had taken several oxycodone during the day," the affidavit said.

"When asked how many she took, Hendricks replied she had taken approximately four 15 mg [milligrams]," the affidavit said. "Hendricks admitted to medical personnel she was on other various medications."

When Tilman asked Hendricks about the crash, she said "the sun was the reason" for the crash and that "she was driving too fast," the affidavit said.

As Tilman asked Hendricks to elaborate, he said she had a "difficult time focusing and could not answer the question coherently," the affidavit said. "While Hendricks was speaking to me, she had droopy eyes, slightly slurred speech and poor fine motor dexterity."

Hendricks then informed Tilman she had taken an oxycodone approximately three hours before the crash occurred, the affidavit said.

"When checking Hendrick's eyes, I could clearly see they were constricted and not of normal size," Tilman said in the affidavit. "I believed she was impaired."

Tilman placed Hendricks under arrest.

"Based on Hendricks’ slurred speech, droopy eyes, poor dexterity, her response to the reason she crashed and her inability to focus on simple instructions, I believed Hendricks was under the influence of a controlled substance and was too impaired to drive," Tilman wrote in the affidavit.

Hendricks was taken to the hospital after consenting to a blood draw. She was asked what her phone number was, but could not remember it, the affidavit said.

An evaluation at the Park County Detention Center determined Hendricks had been under the influence of a narcotic, and several bottles of prescription oxycodone were found in her vehicle, the affidavit said.

During her May 2 arraignment, Hendricks was given a $2,000 signature/personal recognizance bond, allowing her to sign the bond document and be released.

As a condition of her bond, Hendricks is prohibited from possessing, consuming or ingesting any illegal controlled substances.

She faces a jury trial in September.

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