A woman from Cherokee was arrested in Alva following a traffic stop and later charged with a felony.

Reports show on Feb. 12 at 1:16 a.m. Alva Police Officer Jack Hiel performed the traffic stop on East Oklahoma Boulevard (US-64) in Alva. Several minutes earlier he was traveling eastbound on Oklahoma Boulevard just past Walmart when he observed a white Ford Fusion heading westbound and crossing over the fog line.

After the vehicle passed, Hiel turned his patrol unit around to follow. As he was catching up, he observed the vehicle weaving, crossing the lane divider twice and driving on the centerline.

Hiel activated his emergency lights, performing a traffic stop. The vehicle turned into the Love’s Country Store where it stopped. Hiel approached and spoke with the driver, identified as April Mauldin. He noticed she was slurring her speech as she spoke with him.

When Officer Hiel asked for her driver’s license, he states Mauldin initially pulled out a credit card. She then put it back and had difficulty getting her driver’s license out. Hiel asked Mauldin to walk back to his vehicle where she sat in the passenger seat. While speaking with her, Hiel observed the odor commonly associated with consumption of alcoholic beverages coming from her breath and person. He also observed she had bloodshot, watery eyes.

Hiel asked Mauldin if she had anything to drink. She said she had three beers about an hour earlier but she had eaten pizza since. Hiel noted that Mauldin frequently got words mixed up and had to correct herself.

Hiel asked Mauldin to perform standardized field sobriety tests, and she consented. Hiel observed that she performed all three tests inadequately. He placed her under arrest for driving under the influence.

Mauldin’s children, two boys ages 8 and 9, were unrestrained in the back seat of the vehicle when she was pulled over. At Mauldin’s request, the children were released to a friend.

After being transported to the Woods County Jail, Mauldin was observed during the deprivation period and given breath alcohol tests.

On Feb. 16 in Woods County, April Dawn Mauldin, 32, of Cherokee, was charged with child endangerment by driving under the influence, a felony. This crime is punishable by imprisonment for up to four years and/or a fine of $5,000.

Mauldin was also charged with a misdemeanor of driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol aggravated. This crime is punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and imprisonment for ten days to one year, at least one year supervision with periodic tests, aftercare, and ignition interlock for a minimum of 90 days.