Sheriff: Woman on Heroin with a Child in the Car Leads Deputies on Chase

The Oklahoma County Sheriff says it arrested a woman who was high on heroin and had a young child in the car.

Tonya Chatham, 22, was arrested Saturday after leading police on a high speed chase and admitting to police she injected heroin with a child in the car.

A deputy noticed a Jeep parked in the middle of the street near S. Linn and W. California on Saturday. When the officer checked on the vehicle, he noticed a woman sitting inside. When the deputy tried to talk to the woman, he reported she hit the gas, leading the deputy on a pursuit reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour.

During the chase, the deputy reported the woman tossing out a syringe. She stopped her vehicle at Interstate 40 and Scott Street. Officers arrested Chatham and then found a toddler in a car seat in the back seat.

Deputies recovered the syringe and believed it contained heroin. Chatham admitted to the deputy she injected the drug when the deputy pulled up behind her.

Chatham was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center on complaints of eluding an officer, child endangerment, driving under the influence, possession of a controlled, dangerous, substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and throwing litter on highway.

Her bail was set at $17,500.00, she bonded out Sunday.

The toddler is in custody of Oklahoma Department of Human Services.
Sheriff: Woman on Heroin with a Child in the Car Leads Deputies on Chase

Posted: Monday, March 18 2013, 12:34 PM CDT