Report: Woman spit gum at cop during arrest

SANDPOINT — A Coeur d’Alene woman arrested on suspicion of drunken driving picked up an additional charge after spitting gum into the face of a Sandpoint Police officer.

Ashley Rena Vanzanten is charged at the misdemeanor level with driving under the influence and battery on a law officer.

Vanzanten made an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court on Monday via videoconference with the jail. Judge Lori Meulenberg released Vanzanten on her own recognizance on the battery charge, but ordered her held in lieu of $300 bail on the DUI charge, court records show. A public defender has been appointed to represent Vanzanten.

Vanzanten, 28, was stopped by police after she failed to maintain her lane of travel or signal as she executed a U-turn on First Avenue at Main Street at about 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. She failed field sobriety tests and was arrested.

While being taken into custody, the officer asked her to spit out gum that was in her mouth. She responded but spitting the wad into the officer’s face, according to the arrest report.

Vanzanten’s breath-alcohol concentration was measured at 0.16, which is twice the legal limit to drive of 0.08.