Sioux City Journal

Police: Women arrested for intoxicated stroll

7:47 PM

By Molly Montag Journal staff writer | Posted: Monday, August 25, 2008

SIOUX CITY -- Two Sioux City women were arrested Sunday morning on public intoxication and child endangerment charges for allegedly being too drunk to drive -- a stroller.

Sioux City Police Sgt. Mike Post said Rhonda Mitchell and Anethia Harlan, both of Sioux City, were arrested Sunday for allegedly being intoxicated while pushing young children in strollers.

They were stopped about 10:50 a.m. Sunday in the 600 block of 14th Street.

Mitchell, 43, was arrested on misdemeanor charges of public intoxication and child endangerment.

Harlan, 24, was arrested for public intoxication.

Although the woman weren't pushing the two strollers erratically, Post said it is illegal to be intoxicated while pushing children in a stroller.

"You can push the stroller, but not with kids in it," Post said.

Police said the 8-month-old, six-year-old and one-year-old children were not harmed.

Story Comments

cls wrote on Aug 27, 2008 5:47 PM:

" Police can't get their quotas by picking up drunk drivers, so let's start picking up drunk walkers! Alcohol is legal, but you can't drink it; tobacco is legal, but you can't smoke it. I always defended taxes as the price we pay for freedom - I want a refund! "

pb wrote on Aug 27, 2008 9:26 AM:

" Important point of the story that I see a few of you overlooked: "being intoxicated while pushing young children in strollers". I'm going to give some of you the benefit of the doubt, and assume you missed that portion of the article, as I cannot imagine you think this behavior is 'ok'. So, did any of you bleeding hearts stop to wonder how you'd react if those were YOUR kids and that was YOUR babysitter? hmmmm... changing your stance on things now, aren't you? "

shiftworker wrote on Aug 26, 2008 1:11 AM:

" Why were these women arrested? They were intoxicated, with children, a bad mix, but as the article states, they were not pushing the stroller erratically. They should not have had the children with them, I agree completely, and should not have been intoxicated around them. To me the time of day is of no importance whatsover. You people need to remember that not everyone works a 9-5 Monday-Friday job. Maybe these two women had just gotten of work, have been there before myself. Is the same as one of you getting off at 5 pm and being drunk by 8. People work different schedules in this 24/7 world. Again, they should NOT have had the children with them, but what was the "probable cause" for stopping them in the first place. "

Joe wrote on Aug 25, 2008 10:52 PM:

" Wow... What a total police state Iowa is. Time to move to South Dakota. "

Wake up call wrote on Aug 25, 2008 10:24 PM:

" Hopefully this serves as the warning that gets these two women to seek out some help. If you're already out drunk at 10:50 am on a Sunday Morning you have a drinking problem. There are many support and treatment programs out there. Hopefully they take advantage of one of them. "