Mental Health Evaluation For Winthrop Mom Charged In Drunk Driving Crash

WINTHROP (CBS) – A Winthrop woman accused of hitting a pedestrian and crashing into a tree while driving drunk with two children inside her van was ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation.

Cerisse Bomarsi, 37, was arraigned Friday in East Boston Municipal Court for operating under the influence, possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, operating to endanger, marked lane violation, and two counts each of child endangerment and child endangerment while operating under the influence.

On Thursday, Bomarsi's van struck a 62-year-old woman before hitting a tree and coming to a stop on a sidewalk.

Prosecutors said that when police tried to talk to Bomarsi, her speech was slurred. She allegedly repeatedly told officers to "take it easy" when they asked if she needed medical attention.

Officers said they asked Bomarsi three times for her driver's license, and on the third attempt she took out an unused nip bottle of vodka and attempted to open it. Police added that they took the alcohol from Bomarsi and removed her license from the purse after she handed it to officers.

"Believing the Bomarsi presented a danger to herself and the two children, officers attempted to remove her from the vehicle. She allegedly became combative with officers and needed to be lifted from the van in order to be handcuffed and placed on a stretcher," the Suffolk County District Attorney's office said.

Police said there were two children inside the van at the time, a 6-month-old and a 6-year-old.

While searching Bomarsi's van, police found two nip bottles of vodka on the floor near the driver's seat, one empty and another nearly empty. In addition, there were three empty vodka nip bottles and two empty Red Bull cans under the front passenger seat, prosecutors said.

During her Friday arraignment, a judge ordered Bomarsi to undergo a mental health evaluation. In addition, she was held on $5,000 cash bail and ordered to stay alcohol-free.

Bomarsi is next scheduled to appear in court on April 6.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles said Bomarsi's license was suspended in 2010 for "excessive blood alcohol level."