Gene Lehmann Managing Editor
The Ada News
Ada —
A woman arrested twice in a 24-hour period for driving under the influence is fighting back and alleging Ada police targeted her on the second arrest.
Ada Police Chief Mike Miller said police did not target Gloria Boettcher but said “we do target everyone we believe is drinking and driving.”
Gloria Boettcher, 29, is scheduled for her first court appearance June 5 at 8:30 a.m. Boettcher is free on $50,000 bond and told The Ada News she may petition the court for a public defender. Officials in the court clerk’s office said she may not qualify for a public defender since both charges are listed as misdemeanors unless the district attorney upgrades the charges.
Boettcher was arrested at 3 a.m. Saturday by officer Kevin Heck who alleges in the police narrative report Boettcher made a “very wide turn” onto 18th Street from south Johnston which aroused his suspicions. Heck alleges Boettcher had slurred speech and poor hand/eye coordination, thus failing a field sobriety examination. She was placed under arrest.
According to the report, Boettcher was read the Oklahoma Implied Consent Card — a legal requirement in order for blood to be drawn. According to the report, she consented and was transferred to Valley View Regional Hospital where blood was taken.
Boettcher disputes this account, saying she was never advised she could refuse the test and did not have to submit to it. She also alleges she did not sign consent forms at Valley View Regional Hospital for medical staff to acquire a blood sample.
Under Oklahoma law, if a suspect refuses the blood or breath test, they automatically lose their driver’s license for six months. Boettcher, in the second arrest, passed a breath test, documents show.
However, police believe she may have been under the influence of prescription drugs.
According to police documents, police found Clonazepan, Butal, phentermine, Venlafaxine, Xanax and headache relief medicine upon searching her Kia SUV.
Clonazepan is a drug to fight seizures and anxiety; Butal is a barbiturate commonly used to treat tension headaches and pain; phentermine is a weight-loss drug used with exercise and a low-calorie diet; Venlafaxine is an anti-depressant; Xanax is also an anti-anxiety drug.
Boettcher told The Ada News all the prescriptions were in her name and are needed to treat medical conditions. She said none of the drug labels caution against driving after being taken.
Her second arrest may be the bone of contention for the Ada woman.
Boettcher alleges after she bailed out of jail on the first charge, she noticed her cell phone was not returned to her by authorities. She ventured to the jail to retrieve the phone and was “provoked” by officers, she contends. She left the jail to check her contract with AT&T, which maintains a store in Arlington Center.
It was at Arlington Center that officer Brad Rhoads stopped Boettcher again contending in the report Boettcher veered from her marked lane and sped on Lonnie Abbott. This was at approximately 5:45 p.m.
Boettcher was arrested again and taken to Valley View where four vials of blood were drawn. Results of those tests have not been released, police chief Miller said Wednesday.
