CLEARFIELD – A 28-year-old Clearfield woman accused of operating her vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance with an infant passenger waived her right to a preliminary hearing during Centralized Court Wednesday at the Clearfield County Jail.
Noelle Erin Clark, 28, of Clearfield is facing charges of endangering welfare of children; use/possession of drug paraphernalia; and intentional possession of controlled substance by person not registered. She was originally charged with DUI/controlled substance-impaired ability as well; however, that charge has been withdrawn.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, at approximately 2:12 p.m. Aug. 8, Amy Wood contacted Clearfield 911 and reported that Clark was operating a silver-colored Subaru while under the influence of controlled substances. She said Clark had an infant passenger with her and was observed traveling southbound on Turnpike Avenue.
When contacted by phone, Wood was working at Gambro Health Care. She and other employees were concerned about Clark and the infant’s welfare. Clark was a patient at Gambro Health Care and had an infant with her for an appointment.
Employee Holly Hipps requested Clark submit to a drug test, as she was under the influence of controlled substance(s). She was instructed to proceed to the Clearfield Hospital for testing.
Gambro Health Care employees observed Clark as she walked to her vehicle instead of the hospital. They called Clearfield 911 when they observed her driving from the hospital parking lot and southbound on Turnpike Avenue. Wood provided a vehicle description and registration to Clearfield 911.
At 2:20 p.m., Clearfield Borough police observed Clark’s vehicle parked at her residence. It didn’t have any occupants. Police went to the apartment door and Clark answered. Police observed Clark staggering while walking and swaying while standing. Clark’s pupils were constricted and she had slow, slurred speech.
Clark admitted to taking her prescription medication as prescribed by her doctor. She’s currently prescribed Clonazepam, Fluoxetine, Ziprasidone, Buprenorphine and Quetiapine.
Clearfield County Children, Youth and Family Services responded to the scene.
Clark was given a field sobriety test, which she failed. She permitted police to search her belongings, which turned up a syringe, a pill crusher and two, different types of tablets that were in a non-labeled prescription bottle in her purse. The pills were identified as being five Alprazolam (.05 mg) and eight Alprazolam (.25 mg). Clark doesn’t have a valid prescription for Alprazolam.
