Driver who struck parked vehicles arrested on suspicion of DUI

July 26--The driver of a minivan that struck at least seven parked vehicles in a downtown Longmont parking lot Monday was arrested on suspicion of several charges, including a fourth DUI after three previous convictions.

Sonja Marie Lawson, 43, of Longmont, also is accused of careless driving, driving with an open alcoholic container and failure to present proof of insurance.

She is expected to make her first appearance in Boulder County Jail today.

Lawson was arrested Monday after she drove her gold Mercury minivan shortly before 5 p.m. through the parking lot at the northwest corner of Third Avenue and Kimbark Street, across from the Longmont Civic Center.

She also was arrested on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident because she continued driving after she struck the first two cars parked in the corner of the parking lot, Cmdr. Joel Post said. She hit a tree last.

An open alcohol shooter was located on the floorboard of the driver's side of the van.

According to the arrest report, Lawson had been drinking at The Dickens Tavern, 300 Main St., and she left her ID at the bar.

However, Dickens owner Lynn Owens said today that Lawson was never in The Dickens on Monday. Owens said that police interviewed staff members, who confirmed that Lawson had not been in the establishment.

Owens noted that Lawson is a past employee of The Dickens.

Other than Lawson, who was transported to Longmont United Hospital for minor injuries, nobody else was injured. She was later transported to Boulder County Jail.

The owners of vehicles gathered in the parking lot, examining damage and dialing their insurance companies late Monday afternoon.

Lawson's most recent DUI conviction was in 2008 out of Broomfield, and she was sentenced to probation and community service, according to court records.

Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett said it appears the DMV gave Lawson her license back. He said is not uncommon considering the last conviction was eight years ago.

In 2002, Lawson pleaded guilty to DUI out of Boulder County and was sentenced to 75 days in jail, according to court records.

Her first conviction was in 1990, when she was 17 years old, out of Boulder County. There is no information available regarding her sentence.

Garnett said his office is reviewing whether Lawson qualifies for a felony DUI charge. The office is checking the significance of the 1990 case, which dates back 26 years.

"When I talk about impaired driving and the danger that's created, obviously this woman is presumed innocent in this case," Garnett said. "However, this type of issue, someone driving impaired, is a very significant public safety risk, and it's one of the reasons we pushed for the DUI law."

Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill in 2015 making a fourth drunk-driving charge a felony, with up to six years in prison. Previously, repeat DUI offenders in Colorado received a misdemeanor charge and a sentence of up to one year in jail.

Longmont police Monday also discovered Lawson had two Boulder County Sheriff's Office warrants: one for failure to appear on an original charge of child abuse with a bond of $10,000 and one for failure to appear on an original charge of third-degree assault and violation of a protection order with a bond of $10,000.

Lawson is the restrained party in two protection orders -- served March 3, 2015, and Feb. 29, 2016 -- in which she is restricted from possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages or controlled substances, according to the arrest report.

Amelia Arvesen: 303-684-5212, arvesena@times-call.com or twitter.com/ameliaarvesen

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