Illinois driver arrested after Saturday night crash

After deputies responded to a crash involving two vehicles on SR 54 near SR 45 last Saturday, an Illinois woman was arrested. She’s accused of driving in an impaired state due to marijuana use. No injuries were reported.

Myra Louise Bowen

Myra Louise Bowen, 52, Robinson, Ill., was arrested by Deputy William C. Walker of the Greene County Sheriff’s Department last Saturday, July 24.

After a 911 call around 6 p.m. last Saturday, July 24, deputies were dispatched to a crash involving two vehicles on East State Road 54 east of South SR 45. The caller said another vehicle had rear-ended their vehicle and a tire was missing off the other vehicle, but nobody was injured.

GCSD Sgt. Jordan Allor was first on the scene, then Deputy Walker, the investigating officer. They found a maroon 2001 Jeep Wrangler had been hit by a blue 1998 Nissan 200 SX. A tire was missing from the front driver’s side of the Nissan.

Bowen was the driver of the blue Nissan that hit the Jeep. In a later interview with Sgt. Allor, she said she was going to Robinson from Bedford and was westbound on SR 54. She denied drinking or taking any illegal drugs prior to the crash but allegedly admitted she had smoked marijuana around 4:30 p.m.

Deputy Walker reported Bowen showed signs of impairment including glassy eyes with constricted pupils, slow and slurred speech and poor balance.

Bowen failed field sobriety testing on the scene and a portable breath test showed she had a BAC of zero. She consented to take a chemical test and was transported to the sheriff’s department where she passed one portion of field sobriety testing but failed others. She was transported to Greene County General Hospital for a blood draw – results pending.

Deputy Walker reported that during a search prior to transport, Bowen was found to be in possession of a plastic bag containing a green plant material and a smoking device with burnt residue.

Bowen was booked into the Greene County Jail at 8:52 p.m. where she’s being held on a surety-only bond.

The preliminary charges filed against Bowen include:

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

• Operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance in the body, a Class C misdemeanor,

• Possession of marijuana, a Class B misdemeanor, and

• Possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.