It was just before 5 p.m. on September 16 while Lycoming Regional Patrolman Owen Bloom was on routine patrol in Porter Township when a dispatcher advised him to be on the lookout for car that was speeding and “swerving all over the road” as it was traveling south on Route 220 in the area of the Jersey Shore Thomas Street interchange, according to an affidavit. The driver, Sarah Baker, was heading in the direction of the officer. Moments later, Bloom suddenly saw Baker’s 2022 Chevrolet Spark “lose control as it swerved from the passing lane to the right travel lane. The car went back in the passing lane, struck the guide wires and then went airborne, rolling over in midair, landing on its roof” the affidavit stated.

Baker, 32, of Altoona, was helped out of the wreckage by the officer. “I immediately could detect an odor of alcoholic beverage coming from her as well as odor of marijuana coming from inside the car,” Bloom wrote in the court document.”I did some dumb (expletive),” she told the officer, saying “she did not want to talk about it.” Baker was taken by ambulance to UPMC Williamsport, where she was treated and later discharged.

Blood tests revealed that she had a BAC of .30 at the time and marijuana in her system as well, Bloom said. “She was operating a vehicle while under the influence of a combination of drugs and alcohol,” the officer said. Charged with DUI, reckless driving, careless driving and one other summary offense, Baker waived her preliminary hearing last week before District Judge Denise Dieter and is free on $10,000 bail.