Woman accused of DUI allegedly tells police she was testing shipment of liquor for job

MADISONVILLE, Tenn. — An East Tennessee woman suspected of driving while intoxicated allegedly told police that she was testing a shipment of alcohol because she worked at an area liquor store.

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Jacquelyne Carol Patterson, 29, of Madisonville, was charged with DUI and child abuse, according to Monroe County online court records.

The incident occurred on Sept. 5 in the parking lot of a Walmart in Madisonville, according to The Advocate & Democrat newspaper of Madisonville.

Madisonville police Officer Nick Davis said he arrived at the store parking lot, where another officer said he saw the passenger of the vehicle, Kenneth Wayne Jolley, 39, of Madisonville, attempt to pull the keys out of the ignition, the newspaper reported.

There was a 7-year-old child in the back seat of the vehicle, the Advocate & Democrat reported.

According to Davis, Patterson, who was the driver of the vehicle, allegedly said that she had been drinking earlier in the day and had also taken Xanax. She allegedly told the officer that she had been taking small shots of alcohol to test a shipment at the liquor store where she was an employee, according to the newspaper.

Patterson and Jolley both performed poorly on field sobriety tests, the Advocate & Democrat reported.

Davis said a search of the vehicle produced two bottles of vodka and a water bottle containing vodka, according to the newspaper.

Jolley was charged with public intoxication.

Both suspects are due in court on Tuesday, online court records show.