A Port St. Lucie couple faces child neglect and drug charges after police said they were found Thursday night in a crashed car passed out with their infant.
Police arrested Jessica Ruth Hand and John Jacob Rodriguez, both 34, after officer found their 2003 white Saturn car wrecked at intersection of SE Port St. Lucie Boulevard and SE Glover Street.
Officers found Hand unconscious behind the wheel of the car with a syringe in her arm.
Police found Rodriguez unconscious in the back seat with a syringe next to him and an infant boy in an unsecured car seat beside him.
Police removed both Hand and Rodriquez from the car and began to administer first aid. A concerned citizen removed the infant and placed him next to an officer.
Witnesses told police they saw the couple's vehicle heading south on SE Glover St.
Police were told that Hand failed to stop at the stop sign located at SE Glover Street and SE Port St. Lucie Boulevard, causing the car to cross all six lanes of SE Port St. Lucie Boulevard and crashed into a pole on the south side of the street.
St. Lucie County Fire Rescue transported Hand, Rodriquez and the infant to St. Lucie Medical Center.
While at the hospital, police found Rodriquez in possession of a unmarked bottle containing 38 pills, which turned out to be Alprazolam, which is a controlled substance.
A broken pipe, suspected to be used for smoking narcotics, was also found on Rodriguez.
The infant was unharmed during the crash and was turned over to a family member.
Hand and Rodriquez were arrested and taken to the St. Lucie County Jail for booking.
Hand is charged with child neglect and possession of drug paraphernalia. Rodriguez is charged with child neglect, possession of controlled substance without prescription, possession of drug paraphernalia and violation of probation warrant.
