CALIFORNIA, Md. — Haley Dantonio, a 33-year-old woman from Hughesville, is facing criminal charges in St. Mary’s County District Court after deputies say she was driving erratically with her 5-year-old child in the backseat. The incident occurred on the evening of May 29 and has resulted in charges of child neglect and driving while impaired.
According to court records and a statement of probable cause filed by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, law enforcement was alerted around 6:41 p.m. when a motorist waved down Sgt. Lefave to report a gray Honda Civic traveling southbound on Three Notch Road, swerving in and out of lanes. Sgt. Lefave observed similar behavior and noted the vehicle nearly struck a curb near Wildewood Boulevard. He conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of Three Notch Road and FDR Boulevard.
Upon initial contact, Sgt. Lefave identified the driver as Dantonio. In the vehicle’s backseat was a young child, later confirmed to be Dantonio’s daughter, asleep during the stop. Deputies noted Dantonio’s speech was slurred and her eyes appeared glassy, though there was no smell of alcohol.
Dantonio reportedly stated she was taking Gabapentin for nerve damage to her ankle. Field sobriety tests were conducted, during which deputies observed multiple indicators of impairment, including lack of balance, failure to follow instructions and erratic movements. Out of eight clues on the walk-and-turn test, five were observed, and two out of four were noted during the one-leg stand test. A preliminary breath test showed a result of 0.00, but deputies proceeded with an arrest based on physical signs of impairment.
She was transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, where she was later charged. During the inventory search of her vehicle, deputies discovered a bottle of Gabapentin with a fill date of May 27. Of the 90 pills originally prescribed, 18 were reported missing.
Dantonio is currently facing one misdemeanor count of neglect of a minor. She was released on a $1,000 unsecured personal bond following a hearing on May 30. A trial date is scheduled for July 28 in St. Mary’s District Court.
If convicted, the maximum penalty for neglect of a minor includes up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to $5,000.
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