CLEARFIELD – An area woman is facing charges for allegedly striking her husband with a vehicle while under the influence of drugs.
Sherry L. Owens, 52, of Mahaffey is charged by Punxsutawney state police with felony aggravated assault (two counts); misdemeanor reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, DUI, accidents involving death or personal injury and related offenses.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, troopers were called to a domestic around 6:30 p.m. May 15 in the 7700-block of Ridge Road in Burnside Township.
The victim had called 911 reporting there had been a physical altorcation with his wife. He said she “rammed” a vehicle through the garage door, injuring him and then fleeing from their home.
When state police arrived, they observed heavy damage to the metal garage door. Inside the residence, they located the victim who detailed the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Earlier he and Owens had reportedly gotten into a verbal dispute. Afterwards, he told Owens that he wanted a divorce.
Around 6:10 p.m., Owens was preparing to leave in their white Jeep Grand Cherokee. The victim went outside to speak with Owens and while he was behind the vehicle, she put it in reverse.
She allegedly “accelerated heavily,” striking him with the rear of the vehicle and pushing him into the metal garage door. It collapsed, injuring his chest and arm areas.
He said Owens fled without seeing if he was okay or in need of help. The victim had visible injuries, and said he would seek medical attention once he had a vehicle.
He indicated that Owens had been using methamphetamine and other drugs, was most likely under the influence and had gone to a friend’s residence in Jordan Township.
There, troopers located the couple’s Jeep in the driveway. It had rear-end damage and Owens was standing at the passenger’s side door.
She reportedly appeared under the influence, having an unsteady gait; rapid speech; and glassy, dilated eyes.
In an interview, she admitted to having an argument with her husband at their home.
She claimed the Jeep was backed up to their garage door and she put it in reverse to back into their garage.
Owens also claimed she did not know that she’d struck her husband. But, when asked if she rendered any aid, she said no as they were fighting.
Because Owens was being taken into custody, state police conducted a routine search of her person.
When they located a cut orange straw in her front pants pocket, Owens reportedly admitted to having recently used methamphetamine.
There was a small bag of methamphetamine in her pocket, and Owens told troopers they would find a pipe in her purse inside the vehicle.
She gave state police permission to retrieve and search her purse. Inside they found the pipe, a ziplock bag of white pills suspected to be Buprenorphine and a white container with additional pills.
When questioned, Owens said she had used methamphetamine before the domestic, then traveled to her friend’s residence while under the influence.
Owens was transported to the Punxsutawney state police barracks for a DRE Evaluation, which determined Owens was incapable of safely operating a motor vehicle.
During the evaluation, she allegedly admitted to having used methamphetamine four times, smoking marijuana and taking Xanax. She was taken to Punxsutawney Hospital for a legal blood draw.
On Wednesday Owens waived her right to a preliminary hearing, sending her case to the county court of common pleas for further disposition.