Stoddard County woman who reportedly threatened trooper sentenced for drug possession

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Puxico, Mo., woman was sentenced to prison on drug charges last week following an August arrest in which authorities said she threatened a highway patrolman.

Sara West, 28, appeared for arraignment before Judge Stephen Sharp on Wednesday and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of felony possession of a controlled substance.

West waived her presentence investigation and was sentenced to six years in prison.

On the day of the incident, Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper Jay Parsley pulled West over when he observed her traveling southbound on Highway 51 at 69 mph and running off the side of the roadway.

According to the criminal complaint, when Parsley made contact with West "her speech was slurred and her eyes were bloodshot and glassy." He adds that he did not notice an odor of alcohol on her.

West reportedly admitted she had taken Xanax and Prozac at 6 a.m. After failing sobriety tests, West was arrested.

Parsley then began to search her vehicle.

"Located in the center console and in West's purse were numerous pills," the report stated. "The pills were loose in the purse and not in bottles prescribed to West."

Among the pills were cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), alprazolam (Xanax), clonazepam (Klonopin) and Skelaxin.

After being transported to the Stoddard County Jail, West reportedly refused a chemical test of her urine.

In the warrant request it was reported that at some point during the arrest, West threatened both Parsley and his family.

West was originally charged with four counts of felony possession of a controlled substance, one count of the misdemeanor unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, one count of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated by drugs and one count of felony making a terrorist threat.

She was also being charged as a prior and persistent offender due to convictions in 2006 and 2008 for credit card theft and forgery.