Royal Oak

Woman charged with drunken driving with 5-year-old in car

By Terry Oparka
C & G Staff Writer

A Woodhaven woman is charged with child endangerment after she allegedly drove drunk with her 5-year-old son and three other adults in the vehicle.

Barkman

Troy police on patrol saw a vehicle swerve repeatedly on I-75, at Maple, just after 12:30 a.m. Jan. 24. Officers made a traffic stop and discovered that four adults and a 5-year-old boy in a booster seat were in the car. Police said the driver, Kimberly Ann Barkman, 30, had slurred speech and bloodshot eyes, and smelled of intoxicants. She reportedly blew a 0.11 on a breath test and was arrested for drunken driving. Police turned the child over to one of the passengers who had not been drinking.

Troy police officer Andy Breidenich said it was unclear why the woman had driven while she was intoxicated when one of the passengers had not been drinking.

Barkman was arraigned before 52-4 District Court Judge Kirsten Hartig Jan. 26 on charges of drunken driving and child endangerment. She appeared in court without an attorney and requested a court-appointed attorney. Bond was set at $1,000 on each charge. The preliminary exam is set for Feb. 21.

Barkman is the second woman to be charged with child endangerment and drunken driving in Troy in the past month. Troy police arrested a Shelby Township woman driving with her 3-year-old son after an officer saw her reportedly weave across traffic lanes and strike a curb on Rochester Road, south of Square Lake, just before midnight Dec. 29. She blew a 0.11 on a breath test and told officers she’d had one beer, according to reports. She appeared at her arraignment without an attorney.
 

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Terry Oparka at toparka@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1054.