According to a Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office incident report, On December 11th, 2022, Deputy Warren was traveling southbound on the North Bypass when he saw a blue Hyundai fail to maintain its lane. According to the report, “The vehicle partially drove into the left lane and jerked back into the right lane. Deputy Warren followed the vehicle to observe driving. The vehicle failed to maintain the lane and continued to weave in the lane.” Deputy Warren initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Kathy Lynn Burn, 62, of Dalton. She explained that she thought she was running over something and had seen a skunk in the road. Deputy Warren asked her if she was okay, and she said she was. Burns stated she had left her pocketbook with her license at home. According to the report, “Ms. Burns also stated she had been up all night. She said that she had taken Xanax and had taken one the night before. Ms. Burns said she takes it twice daily, one in the morning and one at night. Ms. Burns said she didn’t take one today, however. Deputy Warren did notice that her eyes were constricted.” During a standardized field sobriety test, Burns showed several signs of drug impairment. Deputy Warren explained to Burns that based on her driving, the SFST, and her admitting to taking Xanax, she was being placed under arrest for driving under the influence of drugs. According to the report, “There was a 12-year-old juvenile in the front passenger seat.” Deputy Warren inventoried the vehicle and located three open containers of alcohol in the front seat. Burns was transported to the Whitfield county Jail charged with failure to maintain lane, DUI-less safe drug, open container, and DUI-child endangerment.
Dalton woman arrested for DUI child endangerment after driving all over the roadway
