As her mother drove erratically through the streets of Senoia early last Sunday morning, passenger Lindsey Moss became frightened for herself, for her 10-year-old daughter who was with them, and for all the other drivers who had been blowing their horns at the blue Honda Civic weaving along the way.
So when her mother stopped at a gas station and convenience store, Moss knew she had to do something to get her off the road, and fast. She asked the clerk to call 911. Minutes later, Senoia police, who had found and followed the car, pulled Donna Dodgen over and arrested her.
Dodgen, 52, of Thomaston, was charged with DUI, endangering a child under 14 while DUI, speed less than the minimum, and weaving over the roadway. Details of the incident are contained in the Senoia police department’s report.
Now, police are praising Moss for turning her mother in, possibly preventing a tragedy.
Moss, 28, could not take the wheel herself because she suffered a head injury in another accident, according to the report. She said she got back in the car when Dodgen left the store because she otherwise would have been left there.
When Dodgen drove away, officers observed her sitting for 30 seconds at a green light and also crossing over the center line, the report states.
After she was pulled over by police, she had trouble finding her driver’s license — repeatedly offering officers her credit card instead — had difficulty getting out of the car, was unsteady walking and smelled of alcohol, according to the report.
Dodgen told police she had not had anything to drink, the report said. But Moss said Dodgen had about three glasses of wine at a restaurant earlier in the evening.
She was taken to Coweta County Jail.
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