Woman Found with Kids, Drugs in Jeep, Sheriff’s Office Says

Someone saw Amanda Pinkston, 32, “going in and out of consciousness” at a Denny’s in the New Port Richey area on Sunday, according to a Pasco County Sheriff’s Office arrest report.

She was also seen in her 2003 Jeep in the Denny’s parking lot.

A Pasco deputy arrived at the Denny’s and found Pinkston sitting in the Jeep with her keys in the ignition, according to an arrest report. When another deputy arrived, she was standing in the driver’s side doorway.

He noted two young girls, ages 4 and 7 in the Jeep. A search of the vehicle found that the Jeep also contained drug related items including a crack pipe with trace amounts of cocaine, a marijuana pipe, a trace amount of marijuana and syringes with needles.

The 7-year-old told a deputy Pinkston was the only adult in the Jeep when they went to Denny’s and that Pinkston was the one who drove them to the restaurant.

A deputy noticed Pinkston’s movements were quick and jerky. She had rapid and repetitive speech and her eyes were bloodshot and glassy.

She told a deputy she was a former heroin addict and now injects Roxycodone into her body.

Pinkston, of 3913 Luma Dive, Holiday, was arrested Sunday and charged with two counts of child neglect. She was also charged with possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana (less than 20 grams) and possession of drug paraphernalia. In addition, she was charged with felony DUI (her third DUI charge in 10 years), driving with a revoked or suspended license, and refusal to submit to a physical or chemical test. 

She was booked into the Land O’ Lakes jail Sunday but released Tuesday after posting $20,600 bond.