Woman Charged With Drunk Driving After Crash With 4-Year-Old

A Maine woman is facing her fourth drunk driving charge following a crash in the town of Wales.  The woman’s 4-year-old son was also in the vehicle at the time, according to Maine Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland.

State Police say 33-year-old Kristy Cookson of Litchfield crashed her van Wednesday afternoon on Route 132 near the Sabattus town line.  The van ended up wedged in a clump of trees and rescue personal had to use a chain saw to get the woman and her son out.

Police said drugs and alcohol were factors in the crash. Cookson was charged with operating under the influence and operating after suspension.

The young boy sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston.

Cookson was taken to Central Maine Medical Center with a serious ankle injury. In an apparent mix-up, she was discharged from the hospital over the weekend without police being notified, McCausland said. State Police arrested Cookson around 1 p.m. Monday at an Auburn apartment. She was transported to the Androscoggin County Jail.

This is the fourth time in the past decade that Cookson has been charged with OUI and the latest charge was increased to “aggravated” because her son was in the vehicle. In addition to the OUI convictions,  Cookson has 13 active driver’s license suspensions, McCausland said.

In 2009, Cookson was shot by two Lewiston Police officers following a chase through the city in her pickup truck. The officers fired when she attempted to run one of them over after the chase ended when she struck a parked vehicle.  Cookson was still on probation for that incident and because of Wednesday's crash, State Police say her probation status could change.