A Covington driver was arrested over the weekend after a caller reported she was all over the road. She said she was trying to find Linton and was lost. A deputy said she was under the influence of a controlled substance.

Kelsey Nicole Hammer, 28, Covington, Ind., was arrested by Sgt. Bobby Pierce of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department early Saturday, October 10. Hammer was booked into the Greene County Jail at 4:21 a.m. following a traffic incident that resulted in a stop in Switz City.

Early Saturday, a 911 caller reported a newer white four-door passenger vehicle was “all over the road,” crossing the center line several times, and that it drove up on a curb in Bloomfield.

Sgt. Pierce responded and when he located the vehicle in Switz City, he initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of First and Chestnut streets just off State Road 67. GCSD Deputy Alan Jackson also responded to assist.

Hammer was the driver of a white 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander, stopped for driving left of center and failure to maintain travel in her lane. A check on Hammer’s driver’s license revealed her license was suspended.

Sgt. Pierce reported Hammer pupils were constricted, she had slurred speech and was mumbling. Hammer said she was coming from Covington but was lost and trying to find Linton. Sgt. Pierce believed Hammer was under the influence of a controlled substance and asked her to perform standard field sobriety tests which she failed.

When Hammer was taken into custody, she asked for her purse. Deputy Jackson retrieved it and when searched prior to transport, he found it contained a tied plastic bag corner containing a white crystal substance that field-tested positive as methamphetamine. He also found 17.5 pills in a clear cellophane wrapper – they were identified as a controlled substance that Hammer said belonged to her grandmother. No prescription bottle was located. During the booking process at the jail, staff also found more pills determined to be Xanax. Hammer said she has a prescription for Xanax but claimed she didn’t have any with her. Hammer also said she didn’t know what the white crystal substance was.

Hammer was first transported to the Linton Police Department to take the field sobriety tests in a controlled environment but she failed them again. She agreed to a take a chemical test and was transported to Greene County General where a blood draw was taken – results pending.

Hammer is being held without bond pending court appearance – date not yet set.

She is facing preliminary charges of:

Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony,
Possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor,
Possession of a controlled substance, a Class A misdemeanor,
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person, a Class A misdemeanor, and
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor.