Samantha Cherry, a 25-year-old resident of Confluence, took troopers on a ride while allegedly intoxicated with the heat index in the region reaching or surpassing 100 degrees. The children were rescued, and Cherry will now face charges.
Police tracked down an abandoned suspect vehicle near the Maryland-Pennsylvania border with the help of the department’s Aviation Command. Upon landing in a nearby field to investigate, they discovered two 3-year-olds inside the car. The car was turned off, and its windows and doors were shut, causing the inside to become sweltering.
The boys emerged from the incident unscathed.
According to a spokesperson from the Pennsylvania State Police, the vehicle was discovered on July 9th at approximately 1:45 p.m. on Sickle Ridge Road in Fayette County. However, Cherry was not present at the location.
On Tuesday, the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office issued a lookout alert for a DUI suspect, which initiated the pursuit.
Less than two hours after the Maryland police pursuit, troopers in Fayette County responded to a two-vehicle collision on Brown Hill Road in the Markleysburg Borough. Upon investigation, it was discovered that Cherry was the driver involved in the pursuit.
Pennsylvania State Police troopers arrested Cherry for driving under the influence, endangering the welfare of children and cited her for numerous traffic violations in Maryland.
