Coos County, OR. – Official Release: On December 27, 2024, at approximately 8:30 PM, law enforcement was dispatched to mile marker 2 on Highway 42S in Bandon. Reports indicated that a tree had fallen earlier and ODOT was in the process of removing it. Dispatch later advised that ODOT requested law enforcement assistance as a subject had driven through the work zone and hit the tree that was being removed.
Upon arrival, Deputy Freerksen met with Bandon Officer Emma Owens, who confirmed that the vehicle and driver were still on scene. The driver was identified as Lesli Howard (57). Upon initial contact, Deputy Freerksen immediately observed Howard’s speech to be slurred, her eyes glossy, and there was a slight odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath.
Deputy Freerksen asked Howard if she would consent to Standardized Field Sobriety Tests (SFST), and she agreed. After completing the SFSTs, Howard was arrested and taken to the Bandon Police Department for further testing. She was issued criminal citations for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII), Reckless Driving, and Reckless Endangerment of a Highway Worker.
“Police action is not indicative of guilt. All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
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