This explains a lot! I drove from my place in Vintage Hills yesterday, out to Santa Rita Rd, and couldn't figure out what came over all these drivers who were in accidents along the way! Initially I thought we may have had an earthquake to bounce cars all over the road- cause something was definitely amiss! And this was all at 9:15am- charged with DUI. She was definitely under the influence of something. Glad nobody was seriously injured.

What is a 52-year-old woman doing in a car after drinking?

Reply to Mike: Driving poorly.

Shrooming & driving again in P-Town. Sad, what a waste of good halluciagens.

They should take her license and prosecute to full extent of the law.
Thank the Lord it did not happen an hour earlier when kids were heading to school

it doesn't seem necessary to name the individual involved in this incident.

I think it is very important for the public to know the name of an individual who has been so wreckless and wanton in her regard for the safety of others. Our children walk those streets to school. Just as much as we have the right to know where sex offenders live, we have the right to know who these people are who put everyone in danger. Her attempt to evade the police clearly suggests she knew right from wrong.

I happen to know her and she is not the type to drink and drive at anytime of the day. I heard she was on some medication and it affected her driving. Thank God no one was injured, but the police have to book as "under the influence" and begin the process of testing her to find out what impaired her driving. She will be cleared of suspicion of drunk driving, but will it even make the papers?

Certainly she deserves the benefit of the doubt, but it is really irrelevant whether she was drunk, high, or medicated. She broke the law by driving, leaving the scene of multiple accidents, injuring people and leading the police on a chase.

Anonymous, you might know her, but you cannot justify her complete lack of irresponsibility. How would you feel if she ran into your car. Or worse, ran into your child or parent?

I'm with Mary, regarding this matter. No one in their right mind would think twice getting behind the wheel, while being intoxicated on anything. All medications that impairs the patient always states on the container, "do not use while driving or using heavy machinery/equipment." Otherwise the drug companies would be slammed with lawsuits left and right. Also leaving the scene of the accident put her in much deeper trouble, that shows a sign of instant guilt and irresponsibility of one's mistake and poor judgment.

It's quite sad that her "good judgment" went out the window, when she got in her car to drive. It certainly would have been much cheaper for her to get a cab. The fines, court cost, lawsuits, and insurance rates in the coming years, will be quite expensive. :-(

I am very upset that she was named. She is a great person who has donated hours of volunteerism in our schools and community. It is unfortunate that the medications were clouding her judgement. I have known her over 10 years and have never once seen her drink to excess. She is a wonderful person. So sad.

Doesn't matter how good of a person she is or how long you've known her. She broke the law and could have injured someone or their child or both. As stated above, ALL medications that could possible impair your vision or your ability to operate machinery or a motor vehicle has a label on it stating not to operate. Maybe she should have a volunteer such as yourself assist her in taking her medications and keeping her OUT of machinery or a car where she could possibly hurt OR herself. Anyone that breaks the law has their name posted in the paper, plain and simple.

Daniel and Mary, you are 100% right. And I am sure she would do anything to erase her bad decision of driving that day.

He who has never sinned, may cast the first stone.
Have you never made a poor decision?
Thank God, no one was hurt.

All those above excusing this woman's behavior and choices before getting in her car and going on a path of destruction should be ashamed of themselves. It is fortunate she was lucky enough not to have killed multiple people.
Remember the Pack family of Danville? Their 2 kids were killed by a woman who was under the influence/driving impaired. After that incident several people came to her defense and claimed she would never to this and she was such an upstanding, fine person. I hope you apologists make better choices than either of these impaired women.

This is a horrific event: for the drivers that were hit, for the drivers that had to avoid all this, for Pleasanton and for this women and her family. I do not know the situation, other than this article, but I do know that diabetics are sometimes confused with drunks. More than one person with diabetes as gone into a diabetic coma while in jail for being "drunk" and many have had accidents. I am not using this to excuse or explain this behavior, nor do I possess any information that indicates that is what happened her. I am just trying to illustrate the need to reserve judgement until the facts are revealed.

Hold your "stones" until this plays out a bit more. It may be a case of negligence and wonton disregard for others, it may be a horrible medical dosing error, it may be a medical emergency or it may be a horrible mistake by an otherwise caring person. We do not need to excuse her, but we are premature in our righteous condemnation..

No matter what it is, there is NO excuse. IF you are taking medication that MAY make you dizzy or UNABLE to safely operate machinery OR a motor vehicle then don't. I personally had a tooth pulled recently and the dentist made me sign a document that I would not drive for 48 hours AND they made me have a responsible person pick me up from the dental office. It IS plain and simple no matter what happened, she broke the law, period. Stop making excuses for someone that was VERY irresponsible.

Sue-The higher the horse, the greater the fall.

Wait for the Facts - At least I have guts to put my name unlike someone hiding behind a BS phrase of a name

Not sure what stating that my name is Susie (ironically) adds to the discussion.

Terrible tragedy but the public is a little premature in their judgement. I don't know who (wait for the facts before judgement) is but he / she is the only one with the proper and appropriate response. In addition to the diabetic issue mentioned there are also other situations (some forms of stroke, dementia, food allergies to name a few) that can appear to be drug or alcohol abuse but are actually something else all together.

As tragic this story is (and could be) for the woman involved, I find it disappointing to see how many people still want to have a public hanging first and then have a trial, based on a newspaper story. Apparently her diminished driving ability may not have been caused from drinking. I agree this doesn't relieve one's personal responsibility. News stores are becoming more tabloid and less factual and once the damage is done, there is no retraction for inaccuracy. Why not insist on the factual reporting before building the gallows.

"Have you never made a poor decision?"

Yes, to read and post on these Pleasanton Weekly forums

"Why not insist on the factual reporting before building the gallows."

That doesn't sell. Tabloids sell. Look at all the train wreck reality shows on the air, people want to see and judge others to make themselves feel better (at least our family is not THAT screwed up, at least I have never hit a car while drinking and driving, etc etc etc)

I witnessed it. this driver was not merrily driving and swerving, it was more like "bat out of _ell". When she hit the fire hydrant and one of the drivers she hit came up behind her, she backed up and drove away,with such speed parts of her car were breaking up all over the road, wheels falling off. I was surprised her car would go that fast considering all the debris on the road she left. She was damn lucky no pedestrians were in the way. Kids walk across that street every day, ride their bikes and people are always walking their dogs right there. I can't believe she made it through the intersection of Valley/Stanley without a major pileup. This all happened at 9 in the morning.There were police vehicles/City of Pleasanton vehicles, EBMUD vehicles. Water spewing up for an hour ....

AW THE NORMALLY ARROGANT,SNOBBY, YUPPY HAS COMMITED A FELONY ( OR THREE) AND EVERYONE FEELS SORRY FOR HER. PLEASAE DONT MENTION HER NAME AW. WELL TOUGH SHES JUST LIKE ANY OTHER PERSON WHO BREAKS THE LAW. THE REAL LOSERS ARE ALL THE "NOSE IN THE AIR" YUPPYS WHO RUN AROUND THIS TOWN THINKING THIER BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE. MORE LAW BREAKERS LIVE IN RUBY HILL THAN ANY WHERE ELSE. YOU DONT HERE ABOUT ALL DRUGS, HOME ROBBERYS,PROSTTUTION,AND FLAT OUT CRIME THAT TAKES PLACE IN RUBY HILLS ALL THE TIME. NAME NAMES,GET THE TRUTH OUT.

To Like it is: I have lived in Ruby Hill (not Hills) since 1998. Please name some names. I know that there have been some kids on drugs, some robberies etc, but had no idea that I was missing so much. Please enlighten us all as a public service at the very least. If you do not want to name names, post addresses. Oh and drop the "s", since you live there and all you should know how to say it.

A DUI can mean drinking as well as taking any kind of drug, legal or illegal, that effects your ability to operate a moving vehicle.She should not be cleared of a DUI if in fact what you say is true.She was driving under the influence of a substance that impaired her judgment.The fire hydrant and Police chase are proof of that.
Clearly she evaded the police. THEY said so. I believe them. NOT her. She put EVERYONE in danger. Would you be sitting there telling us what a wonderful person she is if she killed your child?
GO MARY! GO DANIEL! GO LIKE IT IS!!!!!!!!!

And please try to find the "caps lock" button on your keyboard.

Sounds like its time to head to Ruby Hill and check out the excitement...

I agree with the posters who lament that the woman was named. Driving around in public, smashing into cars and fire hydrants is a deeply personal and private issue. Besides, the public should never be made aware of dangerous individuals.

to 'privacy'

I'm so glad that you are concerned for public safety, and that you are further aided in your quest to protect the community by knowing this woman's name.

what exactly do you plan on doing? sitting outside the house and reporting on her whereabouts when she leaves the house? memorizing license plate numbers so you can 'watch out' for her car on the road? simply ridiculous. it is none of your business. she is being punished enough with the felony charges, this does nothing further to punish her it only embarrasses and further distresses her family.

"it is none of your business"

You people have no life. I think it's ridiculous that you people are even discussing this.