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Cops allege attorney drove drunk with kids in car

Lifestyle

Former Clarke County Attorney Michelle Rivera again faces operating while intoxicated and child endangerment charges, this time after an incident on New Year’s Eve.Court documents show a deputy pulled Rivera over on Dec. 31 after a report of a possible intoxicated driver on Interstate 35 in Warren County. The deputy observed Rivera’s vehicle swerving in its own lane and nearly striking a semitruck before pulling her over near the New Virginia exit.According to court documents, “two of her children were seated in the rear of the vehicle. Mrs. Rivera had red and watery eyes and struggled locating the information requested from her. Mrs. Rivera denied that she had been drinking. The odor of an alcoholic beverage was emitting from inside the vehicle. Mrs. Rivera smelled of the odor of an alcoholic beverage and alcohol could be detected on her breath.”Rivera failed a field sobriety test and refused to give a preliminary breath test, court documents show. She also refused to provide a breath test sample at the sheriff’s office. She was charged with operating while intoxicated and child endangerment. Rivera made an initial court appearance Monday morning. A judge set bond for Rivera at $5,000 and ordered her to return to court Jan. 19 for a preliminary hearing.Court documents show this is a second OWI arrest for Rivera after a previous conviction in Clarke County.In March of 2019, Rivera accepted a plea deal for OWI in connection with a drunk driving incident after she lost the November election in 2018.On Dec. 14, 2018, officers charged Michelle Rivera with OWI and child endangerment after getting reports of an erratic driver that parked at the Clarke County Courthouse.Officers later found Rivera drove her children to school just before her arrest, but prosecutors dropped child endangerment charges as part of her guilty plea.Rivera also was arrested on Oct. 18, 2018, for showing up to court intoxicated. She also pleaded guilty to that charge.She was voted out of office the next month.

INDIANOLA, Iowa —

Former Clarke County Attorney Michelle Rivera again faces operating while intoxicated and child endangerment charges, this time after an incident on New Year’s Eve.

Court documents show a deputy pulled Rivera over on Dec. 31 after a report of a possible intoxicated driver on Interstate 35 in Warren County. The deputy observed Rivera’s vehicle swerving in its own lane and nearly striking a semitruck before pulling her over near the New Virginia exit.

According to court documents, “two of her children were seated in the rear of the vehicle. Mrs. Rivera had red and watery eyes and struggled locating the information requested from her. Mrs. Rivera denied that she had been drinking. The odor of an alcoholic beverage was emitting from inside the vehicle. Mrs. Rivera smelled of the odor of an alcoholic beverage and alcohol could be detected on her breath.”

Rivera failed a field sobriety test and refused to give a preliminary breath test, court documents show. She also refused to provide a breath test sample at the sheriff’s office. She was charged with operating while intoxicated and child endangerment.

Rivera made an initial court appearance Monday morning. A judge set bond for Rivera at $5,000 and ordered her to return to court Jan. 19 for a preliminary hearing.

Court documents show this is a second OWI arrest for Rivera after a previous conviction in Clarke County.

In March of 2019, Rivera accepted a plea deal for OWI in connection with a drunk driving incident after she lost the November election in 2018.

On Dec. 14, 2018, officers charged Michelle Rivera with OWI and child endangerment after getting reports of an erratic driver that parked at the Clarke County Courthouse.

Officers later found Rivera drove her children to school just before her arrest, but prosecutors dropped child endangerment charges as part of her guilty plea.

Rivera also was arrested on Oct. 18, 2018, for showing up to court intoxicated. She also pleaded guilty to that charge.

She was voted out of office the next month.