Woman who drove under influence of drugs with juvenile in vehicle given prison term

A Carbon County woman, who previously admitted driving while under the influence of a controlled substance with a juvenile in the vehicle, was sentenced to a county prison term on Monday after the presiding judge rejected a recommendation of probation contained in a plea bargain.

Judge Steven R. Serfass sentenced Tammi Lynne Richardson, 43, of Lehighton, to serve a total of three to 60 months in the county prison on charges of DUI of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child.

Richardson was arrested on Oct. 31, 2015, by state police at Lehighton following a traffic stop along Bridge Street in Weissport.

She was found to be under the influence of controlled substances following a blood test.

Found in the vehicle with her was a then 7-year-old juvenile.

In a plea agreement with the district attorney’s office, Richardson pleaded to the two charges previously with the commonwealth recommending a probation period.

Serfass rejected that, stating he could not overlook the fact that Richardson was “driving around with a child in her vehicle while under the influence.”

He also said in the interest of public safety he was imposing a prison term.

On the DUI charge Serfass sentenced her to serve three to 60 months in prison, a fine of $1,500 and a license suspension of 18 months.

On the endangering charge she was sentenced to serve three to 23 months in prison with the term concurrent with the DUI charge.

She was also ordered to render a total of 200 hours of community service, pay court costs of about $1,000, pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on parole and must follow the recommendations of her drug and alcohol evaluation.

Richardson, who is currently an inmate in the county prison on other charges, told the court she has drug issues. A drug evaluation recommended long-term inpatient treatment.