'Bad day' got worse with DUI-drugs charge

The case began when the officer was summoned to BJC Hospital, where a 23-year-old white female told police that she’d gone with Howington to the hospital because Howington had taken 13 Percoset — only to drive away.

The officer got a description of the vehicle and shortly thereafter located it in the parking lot of the Commerce Professional Center on Homer Road.

According to the incident report, when Howington spotted the police car, she pulled back out on Homer Road, failed to stop when he activated his lights and siren, turned onto Hospital Road, where the officer noted that she could not maintain her lane, then pulled into the parking lot at the BJC Hospital emergency room.

The officer said Howington told him that “she was having a bad day and didn’t want to have to deal with police.”

Her day would get worse as she dealt with police. The officer asked her to consent to a blood test, which she refused, the report said, telling the officer “You know I’m on something,” and “I’m not giving you nothing.”

When the officer informed her of the charges, she said they were not true, that she’d been at the hospital the entire time, the report said.

For all of the arrests and incidents reported by the Commerce Police Department, see the July 29 edition of The Commerce News.