Tessa Danielle Dear has been charged after she allegedly was driving under the influence with a child in her SUV.
Court documents state that at about 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 12th, a Montana Highway Patrol trooper had pulled over a vehicle on 6th Street NW near Northwest Bypass. Another trooper saw a dark SUV drive by the traffic stop and hit an orange traffic cone.
One of the troopers then followed the SUV and initiated a traffic stop in front of the Salvation Army building near the intersection of 6th Street NW and Central Avenue West.
The trooper noted that the driver – later identified as Dear – had red, watery eyes, and the smell of alcohol was present inside the SUV.
According to a police affidavit, Dear admitted that she had consumed alcoholic beverages earlier.
The trooper noted a juvenile passenger asleep in the back seat of the SUV; the child was secured in a child-safety seat.
The trooper then administered a field sobriety test; according to court documents, Dear exhibited "multiple indicators of intoxication" during the test.
Dear declined to provide a breath or blood sample.
Dear has been charged with criminal child endangerment (felony) and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (1st offense, misdemeanor).
Prosecutors requested that bond for Dear be set at $5,000.
