WINONA, Minn. – To police it seemed a routine traffic stop. The driver, a 36-year-old Winona woman, had run a couple stop signs and pulled over when the cops lit their rooftop lights. The woman admitted she had been drinking and seemed compliant enough. Then, said police, she scooted like lightning across her front seat to the passenger side, swung open the door, and ran. Elizabeth Jean Smith sprinted about a block. A back-up cop sprinted faster. Her blood-alcohol tested at 0.19% — roughly 2-1/2 times an acceptable level. This was about 12:30 a.m. on Center Street downtown.
Smith. Charges: Fleeing police, drunken-driving, no driver license, running two stop signs.