CLEARFIELD – A driver who was allegedly smoking marijuana while in a school van pleaded guilty during plea and sentencing court in Clearfield County.
Geraldine E. Bratton, 44, 1814 Big Run Rd., Morrisdale, pleaded guilty to driving under the influence, endangering the welfare of children, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and careless driving.
She was sentenced to 90 days to one year in jail and one year consecutive probation for the DUI and 45 days to one year in jail and one year probation for possession of drug paraphernalia.
The second sentence will run consecutive to the DUI sentence. She was also given concurrent periods of probation for the other charges.
She was fined $1,935 plus costs. She must undergo a drug/alcohol assessment and comply with Act 63, which requires she install an ignition interlock system in her vehicle or lose her license for an additional year. She must surrender her license and complete the DUI School.
The charges stem from an incident on March 18 in Lawrence Township when a witness reported to police that she saw Bratton sitting in a school van and smoking marijuana while parked in the Clearfield Mall lot.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, about 20 minutes after she was seen smoking marijuana, she arrived at the Clearfield Middle School to pick up a student. School personnel removed the student from the van and informed the driver she needed to pull over to wait for the police.
When police arrived, they advised Bratton of the complaint made against her. An officer observed that Bratton had red, glassy eyes and her speech was thick. A search of her purse revealed a small metal pipe, a small metal pill box, a plastic container with white powder residue in it, a pill crusher and a small amount of green, leafy vegetable matter.
Bratton admitted to police that she had smoked marijuana after dropping the kids off in the morning. She was taken to Clearfield Penn Highlands for blood testing, which confirmed she was under the influence of marijuana.