DUI Drug Arrest In Dollar General Parking Lot: JPD

JOLIET, IL — A 41-year-old Joliet woman from the apartments in the 600 block of Kungs Way spent her New Year's in the Will County Jail after Joliet police found her under the influence of prescription drugs, and she was unresponsive inside her car, prompting the Joliet Fire Department to smash her window to rescue her, according to police reports.

Samantha Barnes was taken away in handcuffs, and put in the Will County Jail on charges of aggravated DUI and DUI involving drugs. On New Year's Eve, around 8:20 p.m., Joliet police were sent to the Dollar General parking lot in the 900 block of Jefferson Street for a welfare check.

Police were told there was an unresponsive woman inside a vehicle.

"Officers located Barnes in a Mercury Milan and it appeared that she was asleep in the driver’s seat," police spokesman Dwayne English announced. "After numerous attempts to wake Barnes, members of the Joliet Fire Department broke a rear window to enter the vehicle."

At that point, Barnes woke up from her deep sleep and appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance, Joliet police noted.

Officers received consent to search Barnes’ vehicle and found numerous medications prescribed to Barnes, as well as Xanax in a plastic bag, police reports show.

Barnes performed poorly on field sobriety tests and was placed into custody without incident. Officers learned that Barnes held a revoked driver’s license for prior DUI infractions. Her vehicle was towed from the scene.

Barnes stayed in the Will County Jail until around noon on New Year's Day. Jail logs list "no data" regarding any bail set for Barnes.