A Wisconsin woman allegedly drove drunk with her children in her minivan when she rolled the vehicle in St. Paul, according to charges filed Friday.
Christal J. Luellen, 33, of New Richmond, Wis. was charged in Ramsey County District Court with criminal vehicular operation, three counts of child endangerment and third-degree driving while impaired.
According to the complaint: A State Patrol trooper saw Luellen's minivan on its side on Concordia Avenue about 2:30 a.m. Friday. The van was off the road on the northwest corner of Concordia Avenue and Lexington Parkway.
Luellen was sitting on the sidewalk crying. Her three children, a girl, 4, and two boys, ages 8 and 12, were with her. The 8-year-old was "bleeding heavily from an injury to his face," the charges said. The other children said they were not hurt.
Luellen smelled strongly of alcohol and had slurred speech. She told the trooper that she had five drinks at Born's Bar and then went to her aunt's house, where the two argued. Luellen said she took her children in the minivan and was southbound on Lexington Avenue and drove to enter eastbound I-94, according to the complaint.
Luellen did not know how she lost control of the vehicle. Witnesses told police that Luellen drove through a red light and rolled it.
Luellen took a preliminary breath test and registered a blood alcohol content of 0.176 percent. The legal limit in Minnesota is 0.08 percent.
An emergency-room doctor said that Luellen's son's injuries were consistent with substantial bodily harm.
