Brookland, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – A Brookland woman was arrested on a fourth driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge when police said she was caught with open containers of alcohol in her SUV after drifting out of her lane.
District Judge David Boling found probable cause Aug. 19 to charge 30-year-old Ashlyn Renee Blevins with the following offenses:
- DWI (unlawful act – unclassified felony)
- Open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle (Unclassified misdemeanor)
- DWI – operation of vehicle during DWI license suspension or revocation (Unclassified misdemeanor)
- Refusal to submit to chemical test (Unclassified)
- Driving left of center turn lane (Unclassified)
According to the probable cause affidavit, at 6:06 p.m. on Aug. 17, Brookland police officer Dustin Simons stopped a Kia SUV, driven by Blevins, after seeing her cross into the center turning lane while driving on Highway 49. She continued for a significant distance after emergency lights were activated before stopping at the Ridge Coffee near the County Road 702 intersection.
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Blevins told the officer that she had been on her phone listening to music while on the way to work. A driver’s license check showed Blevins had a restricted Class D license with an ignition interlock restriction and prior DWI violations in 2020, 2021, and 2025. Police noted there was no interlock device present in the vehicle.
During the investigation, Blevins displayed bloodshot eyes and swayed while standing. While she initially denied drinking alcohol, she later admitted to drinking around 11 p.m. or midnight the previous night. She also denied using any drugs.
Field sobriety testing was conducted on Blevins, with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test resulting in three of six clues, indicating impairment. She also stepped off the line during the walk-and-turn test and put her foot down during the one-leg-stand test. In both of those tests, she also used her arms for balance.
Police said Blevins refused a portable breath test and chemical testing after being advised of Arkansas implied consent. They also found two vodka bottles, one of which was empty and another was half full, inside the vehicle.
Blevins was taken to the Craighead County Detention Center as a result of the findings.
When she arrived, Blevins slipped out of her handcuffs, but they were resecured before going inside. She also refused to sign the statement of rights form but later signed the driver control form after being advised that signing was voluntary.
A few hours after Wednesday’s probable cause hearing, Blevins was released on a $15,000 cash/surety bond. As conditions of her release, Boling ordered her to wear a blood alcohol content (BAC) ankle monitor.
Blevins’ next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 30.
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