Illinois woman accused of drinking and driving then fleeing from police with 12-year-old daughter in car
Brittany Getter, 33
WHEATON, Ill. - An Illinois woman is accused of drinking and driving and then fleeing from police with her 12-year-old daughter in the car on Monday.
Brittany Getter, 33, of DeKalb, is charged with one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding and 17 misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses including DUI, endangering the health or life of a child, reckless driving and transportation or possession of open alcohol by a driver.
At about 1:24 a.m. on Monday, a Wheaton police officer observed a Ford Escape allegedly traveling 76 mph in a 35-mph zone near Roosevelt Road and Washington Street.
The officer activated his emergency lights and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The escape, allegedly driven by Getter, did not pull over and continued driving westbound on Roosevelt Road with the officer in pursuit.
During the pursuit, Getter allegedly disobeyed multiple traffic control devices, ultimately making her way to westbound North Avenue, where officers deployed spike strips. Getter allegedly avoided the spike strips by going west in the eastbound lanes of North Avenue.
The pursuit was then terminated due to safety concerns, prosecutors said.
A short time later, officers with the Kane County Sheriff's Office deployed spike strips, which ultimately stopped Getter's vehicle.
Once the vehicle stopped, Getter allegedly refused to exit the vehicle. Kane County SWAT was then called and they removed her from the vehicle, prosecutors said.
Once Getter was out of the vehicle, officers allegedly observed her eyes to be glassy and bloodshot. Additionally, officers detected an odor of alcohol coming from her breath.
During the incident, prosecutors said Getter's 12-year-old daughter was allegedly in the back seat of the vehicle.
When searching the vehicle, officers allegedly located an open bottle of Don Julio Tequilla, which was less than half full, and a crown royal bag containing two baggies of cannabis.
"It is alleged that Ms. Getter not only fled from police at an extremely high rate of speed after she had been drinking but did so with her young daughter in the back seat," said DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin. "The behavior alleged in this case is irresponsible and reckless on multiple levels and put not only the motoring public at risk, but also Ms. Getter and her daughter."
On Tuesday, a judge granted the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for Getter. Her next court appearance is scheduled for June 3.