Police say a Sunday crash into a guardrail has landed a Cincinnati woman behind bars after she allegedly passed out behind the wheel with two young children in the back seat.
According to court documents reviewed by WKRC Local 12, a 911 caller reported a possibly impaired driver who had hit a guardrail, was struggling to stay in her lane, and was believed to be unconscious. Officers tracked down and stopped the vehicle, where they identified the driver as Kayla Helton.
Police say Helton admitted she was on methadone. Two children, ages 5 and 8, were found in the back seat, according to the report, and Helton was arrested and charged with two counts of endangering children.
What the charges mean
Ohio’s endangering children statute makes it a crime to create a “substantial risk” to a child’s health or safety by violating a duty of care, protection, or support. Penalties vary based on the circumstances, ranging from misdemeanors to felonies when serious harm results, and the law allows separate counts when multiple children are allegedly endangered. The statute is detailed in the Ohio Revised Code.
Methadone and driving safety
Methadone is an FDA-approved medication used to treat opioid use disorder and is dispensed through certified opioid treatment programs, according to SAMHSA. The product information cited by DailyMed warns that methadone “may impair the mental or physical abilities needed to perform potentially hazardous activities such as driving a car.”
Context and next steps
Similar situations have played out on local roads. In one earlier case, WCPO reported that a woman allegedly overdosed behind the wheel and struck a utility pole while a toddler was in the car.
WKRC Local 12 reports that Helton’s case has been filed in Hamilton County Municipal Court, where she faces two counts of endangering children as the case moves forward.
