A 64-year-old woman accused of giving a fake name to a Bloomfield police officer as well as a fake birthdate that would mean she was only 47, was arrested last Thursday and is now facing felony charges of identity deception and possession of an illegal drug.

Rona K. Hatten, 64 years old, from West Baden, was a back-seat passenger in a traffic stop who allegedly tried to convince an officer she was someone else.

Bloomfield Deputy Marshal Jordan Allor was southbound on U.S. 231 around 9:30 p.m. last Thursday, July 12, when he noticed a red 1999 Pontiac travel left of center on the highway near Olive Branch Road. He initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of U.S. 231 and I-69.

The driver said he had a driver’s license but did not have it with him and he could not provide a registration for the car – he said it belonged to the front seat passenger.

The front seat passenger said she could not find her identification.

The back seat passenger, who was later identified as Rona K. Hatten, said she had her identification but it was expired. Then she said she couldn’t find it.

According to Officer Allor’s report, Hatten said her name was Lisa Clark with a birthdate of May 16, 1971.

Since nobody in the car had any identification or registration for the vehicle, Allor asked for back-up and Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Bobby Pierce and Deputy Heather Wood arrived on the scene and the occupants were asked to exit the vehicle.

The driver was asked if there was anything illegal in the car. He said he wasn’t sure, but if there was, it wasn’t his and the officer could search the vehicle.

When asked how well he knew Lisa Clark, the back seat passenger, the driver said, “Lisa?” That’s when Officer Allor learned the passenger’s name was Rona. So Allor said, “Hey Rona,” and Hatten turned around and said “Yes?” then added that Rona is her first name but she doesn’t go by it and she again said her last name was Clark and her birthdate was May 16, 1971.

But Deputy Wood told Allor that when she was talking to the woman, she mentioned she had a 42-year-old son.

So Allor asked Hatten if she had a 42-year-old son and Hatten allegedly said yes. So the officer asked her if she had a child when she was five-years-old and she said no.

The front passenger also agreed the officers could search the vehicle and inside the car, they reported finding paraphernalia inside a black purse that Hatten said was hers. The items of paraphernalia tested positive for methamphetamine. Inside the purse, they also located a state identification card, a social security card, a debit card and a prescription bottle which all had the name Rona Hatten. They then determined her real birthdate was November 5, 1953.

A records check revealed Hatten was wanted on a warrant issued out of Orange County.

She was transported to the Greene County Jail, booked in before midnight and held without bond on new preliminary charges in Greene County and the warrant out of Orange County.

When she appears next week at her initial hearing in Greene County, she will be charged with:

• Identity deception, a Level 6 felony
• Possession of methamphetamine, a Level 6 felony