Mukwonago Woman's Reckless Driving Leads to Charges of Heroin Possession

Julia C. Bell, 19, of Mukwonago was charged with possession of narcotic drugs, drug paraphernalia and OWI 2nd offense after an astute motorist noted her driving erratically as she entered Muskego from New Berlin, reports say.

According to the criminal complaint:

Muskego Police were sent to the parking lot of Piggly Wiggly around 6:30 p.m. on March 18 after the New Berlin Police Department received a 911 call of a vehicle driving recklessly on Racine Avenue as it came into Muskego.

The witness told police the car had been weaving on I-43 from Moorland Road to Racine Avenue and continued to do so when it was traveling south on Racine Avenue.

Once locating Bell after she exited the vehicle, police noted "her speech was slurred, her pupils were pinpoints and her body movements were sluggish and delayed," which the officer noted were signs of someone under the influence of heroin. Although Bell denied taking any drugs or alcohol, police saw four rubber arm tourniquets on the back seat of her car, which are often used in order to locate a vein for intravenous drug use, according to reports.

In addition a small pipe was seen in the car, and Bell admitted that she smoked K2 recently. A search of the vehicle also revealed a plastic baggie with a white powdery substance in it, which later tested positive for heroin. Small tin "cookers" were also found in the front seat, and numerous syringes, arm tourniquets cotton balls and tin cookers were found in a brown bag under a blanket in the back seat.

Bell faces a maximum penalty of $11,600, four years in prison or both if convicted. She is scheduled to appear in court on the charges for a preliminary hearing April 4.