DRACUT, MASS. (WHDH) - A drunken Dracut woman who fled the scene of a hit-and-run crash was later caught driving around with her 12-year-old son and several empty nip bottles strewn around her car, officials said.
Julie Vitale, 39, was arraigned Friday in Lowell District Court on charges of child endangerment while operating under the influence of alcohol, operating under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of property damage, a marked lanes violation, failure to stop for police in connection with allegedly striking a motor vehicle and then fleeing the scene, and driving with her child in the car while under the influence of alcohol, Dracut Police Chief Peter Bartlett and Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced.
Officers responding to a report of a hit-and-run collision near the intersection of Hove and Pleasant streets around 1:50 p.m. on Thursday spoke with a motorist who said Vitale had struck her vehicle and discouraged her from taking down information and notifying the police, officials said. Vitale then allegedly left the scene in her banged-up Toyota RAV4
As officers finished taking a statement from the victim, they learned a RAV4 was driving erratically on Lakeview Avenue.
Officers later tracked down the RAV4 in question and activated their sirens but police say Vitale refused to stop, repeatedly slowing down and speeding up.
When Vitale finally pulled over near 238 Pleasant St., officers reportedly found her young son in the vehicle, along with four empty nip bottles. Vitale was then handcuffed and loaded into a police cruiser.
Her son was taken to the Dracut Police Department and later picked up by his father.
An investigation is ongoing.
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