Alva Review-Courier -

When an officer stopped a woman who was texting while driving, he found she had no valid license and had an active warrant from another county.

According to court records, on Monday, Feb. 6, about 5:40 p.m. Officer Ron Vasquez was traveling east in the 700 block of Oklahoma Boulevard when he saw a westbound blue Chrysler. He saw the driver was actively texting on her cellphone so made a traffic stop.

After telling the driver why he had stopped her, he asked for her driver’s license. She identified herself as Patricia Jean Penix but said she didn’t have a valid license. She said she didn’t have any identification except her Social Security card with her name. There were two passengers in the vehicle, a woman identified as Sandra Dawn Holcombe, and a 2-year-old child in the backseat in a child restraint seat that was not secured properly.

Vasquez checked the status of Penix’s license, which showed it had been suspended and that she had an outstanding warrant from Dewey County. He told Penix she was under arrest for the warrant and placed her in handcuffs.

Officer Tim Clapp arrived to assist. Vasquez asked him to contact dispatch to check Penix’s online court records. Officer Jade Cooper and Kyle Fuller also arrived. Clapp, Cooper and Fuller inventoried the vehicle, finding a multi-colored small bag on the driver’s side floorboard under the brake pedal. Inside were ten small clear baggies, one digital scale, one spoon and one blue glass smoking pipe with white residue. The pipe was field tested and returned positive for methamphetamine.

Vasquez asked Holcombe if she knew about the bag that was found, and she said it was not hers. She was handcuffed and placed in Clapp’s patrol vehicle. Vasquez asked Penix about the bag, and she denied ownership. Both women were taken to the Woods County Jail.

A criminal background check revealed Penix had three prior methamphetamine arrests in Woodward County and is on a ten year deferred sentence for possession of methamphetamine.

In a post-Miranda interview, Penix told law enforcement she used methamphetamine daily, including that afternoon, and has been in rehabilitation multiple times.

Officer Cooper took the child to the Woods County Sheriff’s Office. Vasquez made contact with the Department of Human Services, and DHS took custody of the child.

Patricia Jean Penix, 46, of Taloga has been charged with felony possession of controlled dangerous substance (meth). The crime is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years and a fine of not more than $5,000. She was also charged with misdemeanors of possession of paraphernalia and aiding/abetting a minor in need of supervision.