Woman Allegedly Drives Drunk with Baby in Car

PALESTINE — A Palestine woman was arrested Thursday afternoon for allegedly driving drunk with a baby in her car. According to KETK, Anderson County Chief Deputy Troy Black said at around 2:30 p.m., dispatchers received several calls about a vehicle driving recklessly on Highway 19 N near Palestine. Callers told officials the automobile was only doing 30 miles per hour but was swerving all over the road and driving into the path of oncoming traffic.

Just south of Montalba, a deputy located the car and a line of traffic forming behind it. He also noticed the vehicle was driving erratically. When the deputy turned on his lights to stop the car, the driver of the vehicle reportedly turned around and headed back north on Hwy 19. He followed the car through Montalba and the driver continued north of Highway 19, refusing to stop, according to officials.

At this time, backup was requested and authorities continued to follow the vehicle north, reportedly at speeds up to 75 miles per hour. About a mile south of Bradford, the driver of the vehicle stopped in the road. The deputy began to speak with the driver and identified her as Hillary Regester, 28. After the deputy reportedly saw that she appeared drunk, the suspect was arrested. Law enforcement also found a child less than a year old in a car seat in the vehicle. A DPS Trooper had Regester perform a field sobriety test which led to her arrest.

The child’s grandmother was called to the scene, where she took the child into her custody. The car was released to the wrecker company and DPS took Regester to the Anderson County Jail, where she was charged with driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years of age.