Police Say Drunken Driver Had Toddler in Backseat

Danvers police arrested a 34-year-old Melrose woman Sunday night and charged her with driving under the influence of alcohol, along with not having a young child properly restrained in the backseat of the car.

Lisa Martinez, 34, of Melrose, is also charged with failure to stop at a red light. Officer John Melto pulled the car over on Water Street near the intersection with Endicott Street shortly after 10 p.m.

The Salem News reports that police say Martinez had taken a left without regard for the red light at the intersection. It turned out that a three-year-old child was also in the backseat, restrained only by the seatbelt instead of a car seat.

The child was picked up by another adult who arrived to the scene, the Salem News reports.

The formal charges against Martinez are operating under the influence of alcohol (first offense), failure to stop and having a child under six without a car seat.