By Jon Johnson
SAFFORD – A woman is in the running for quickest DUI after she collided her vehicle into another vehicle upon leaving a bar early Friday evening.
According to a Safford Police report, Tricia McCowan advised officers she had been drinking at the Bull Pen bar at 912 W. Thatcher Blvd. and when she pulled out to leave she collided with another vehicle. The officer noted that despite it being dark outside, McCowan’s lights were not activated.
McCowan said she had about five beers and one rum mixed drink during her time at the bar, which she allegedly said started at 11 a.m. and ended just before the officer was dispatched at 6:02 p.m.
If what McCowan allegedly informed the officer was true, it would follow the unofficial mantra of consuming roughly one drink per hour. However, McCowan failed the officer’s field sobriety tests and was placed under arrest for DUI. She then blew a breath-alcohol concentration of .179, more than twice the standard DUI limit for blood-alcohol concentration.
McCowan was transported to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center, where a registered nurse drew blood for testing purposes. McCowan was released pending blood analysis and charging.