Townsend woman arrested for dui, drug offenses with child in car
Delaware State Police - File Photo.

Townsend woman arrested for DUI, drug offenses with child in car

MIDDLETOWN, DE — A Townsend woman was arrested Saturday morning after Delaware State Police found her impaired behind the wheel with a child in the car and a stash of illegal drugs.

Troopers responded to a Wawa on Dupont Parkway around 7:30 a.m. after a concerned citizen reported seeing a woman in a Dodge Charger who appeared to be under the influence. Upon arrival, officers identified the driver as 41-year-old Jessica Smith and detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

A search of Smith’s car uncovered approximately 20.28 grams of marijuana, 5.97 grams of crack cocaine, 8.29 grams of powder cocaine, 14 MDMA pills, 6 Oxycodone pills, drug paraphernalia, and about $710 in suspected drug proceeds. Officers also found an unrestrained child in the backseat.

Smith was arrested and transported to Troop 9, where sobriety tests showed further signs of impairment. She was charged with multiple drug and DUI-related offenses, arraigned, and released after posting a $9,000 secured bond.

Authorities said the child, a relative of Smith, was safely placed with a family member.

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.