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Mom arrested for DUI outside Midlothian bowling alley had 4 kids in tow

Posted at 7:20 PM, Aug 08, 2014
and last updated 2014-08-08 19:21:20-04

MIDLOTHIAN, Va. -- A Chesterfield mother was arrested for drunk driving outside a Midlothian bowling alley last Saturday.

But Lisa O'Neill was not just charged with DUI, she was also charged with child neglect because she had four kids in the car in King Pin Lanes' parking lot.

Steven Bartulewicz, a manager at the bowling alley, said it could have been a deadly situation.

"I had people who were scared to come inside, because they didn't know what was going on," Bartulewicz said. "It was a really bad situation."

Bartulewicz said O'Neill signed up to bowl a game with four kids, including one of her own.

Lisa O'Neill

Lisa O'Neill

"When she got here, nothing was out of the ordinary. I know she acted a little strange,” said Bartulewicz. "She never had a drop of alcohol here -- and I never saw her drink anything.”

Several customers told Bartulewicz that O'Neill was stumbling while walking out to her minivan and then got behind the wheel with the kids inside.

"We were just talking to her and you could tell something was off with her. I had some customer out here with me helping me to help her not leave,” said Bartulewicz.

When she refused to listen, Bartulewicz called 911. He credits those customers who stopped O'Neill from pulling out of the parking lot.

"She started the car twice and the one guy standing there talking convinced her to cut the car off both times,” Bartulewicz said.

After police responded, officers said O'Neill  could not stand up and that the 40-year-old failed a breathalyzer test that resulted in a .18, which is more than two times the legal limit.

Officers also said they had to use force because O'Neill refused to be arrested.

O'Neill was release on bond. CBS 6 News tried to contact her several times by phone Friday.

O'Neill is scheduled to appear in court in September.

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