A Bloomfield driver was arrested late last night when deputies responded to a crash east of Bloomfield. The vehicle was in a ditch and test results showed the driver had a BAC of .231. The legal limit is .08.

Tammy Renae Hestand, 51, Bloomfield, was arrested by Deputy Alan Jackson of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department last night, Tuesday, February 9.

Deputy Jackson and GCSD Deputy Michael Coy were dispatched at 10:25 p.m. last night to a crash at the intersection of Corwin Road and Blue Barn Road east of Bloomfield.

When they arrived, Hestand was behind the wheel of a white 2015 Jeep Cherokee that was in a ditch. Another individual was attempting to pull the Jeep out of the ditch with another vehicle.

Deputy Jackson said he could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage coming from Hestand and from inside her vehicle, and he saw a silver metal cup in a cup holder next to Hestand. It was later determined to contain vodka.

Deputy Jackson reported Hestand had difficulty balancing herself when she exited the vehicle and she had to be helped onto the roadway. She failed initial field sobriety checks and was transported to the sheriff’s department where she failed standard field sobriety tests.

Hestand allegedly said she started drinking after sliding off the roadway, then recanted that story and said she started drinking on Blue Barn Road.

At the sheriff’s department, she agreed to take a chemical test which showed she had a blood alcohol concentration of .231.

Deputy Jackson noted that Hestand has a previous conviction for operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Greene County in 2018.

Hestand was booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:58 p.m. with bond set at $8,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed.

The date for her initial hearing has not been set but when she appears in Greene Superior Court, she is facing preliminary charges of:

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor,

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction within seven years, a Level 6 felony,

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor,

• Operating a vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction within seven years, a Level 6 felony,

• Operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to .15 or more, a Class A misdemeanor, and

• Operating a vehicle with an alcohol concentration equivalent to .15 or more with a prior conviction, a Level 6 felony.