Waldport woman lands in jail after two alcohol-related driving incidents

A 75-year-old Waldport woman is in the Lincoln County jail on accusations that she was involved in drunken-driving incidents twice in two days.

Jean E. Kent is being held without bail after Lincoln County Circuit Judge Amanda Benjamin denied her release Thursday. Her next court appearance is Sept. 24.

Court documents and probable cause affidavits said Oregon State Police responded to a hit-and-run with the rider of an E-bike about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12 on Oregon Highway 34 near Blue Spruce Lane two miles east of Waldport. The bike rider was taken to the hospital in Newport with injuries and told police he did not remember what happened as he rode home from work.

In his probable cause affidavit, Trooper Alex Munsee said he was able to recover mirror parts and a headlight housing from the scene.

At 8:15 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, Trooper Travis Moody responded to a two-vehicle crash on Highway 34 also near Blue Spruce Lane. In his affidavit, Moody said Kent was at the scene acting belligerent, tried to leave, had difficulty walking and told the trooper she had been drinking. Kent lives on Blue Spruce Lane. Kent later had a blood alcohol content of .17 percent, more than twice the legal limit to drive in Oregon, court records show.

Kent appeared in court Tuesday, Sept. 15 on the initial drunken driving charge and was released with the condition that she not use or possess alcohol or drugs.

In the meantime, Moody informed Munsee that Kent’s white Dodge Ram 1500 pickup had damage consistent with the bike incident. Munsee said he went to a Newport impound yard and matched damaged areas of Kent’s truck with parts he recovered Sept. 12.

Munsee arrested Kent at her home on Wednesday, Sept. 16 and took her to jail. Kent told Munsee she had also been drinking Sept. 12, according to court records.

For the Sept. 12 incident, Kent is charged with second-degree assault, reckless driving, failure to perform duties of a driver to an injured person, recklessly endangering and second-degree criminal mischief. For the Sept. 13 incident, Kent is charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, and criminal mischief.