Lynn woman charged with OUI while children in car

LYNN – A Lynn woman said Thursday she was not drinking and driving, but court documents say police found her car parked in the middle of Western Avenue in the early morning hours Thursday with two children sitting in the back seat, and numerous opened and unopened beer bottles in the car.Police arrested Oneka Cole, 36, of 6 Sargents Court, #2 and charged her with OUI liquor, child endangerment while OUI and having a child under 6 without a car seat, according to court documents.Carrie Kimball Monahan, spokesman for Essex District Attorney, said it was her first offense.?They didn?t find any alcohol on me,” said Oneka in a brief phone interview on Thursday afternoon. “I wasn?t drinking. I never got arrested for drinking and driving.”But police found Cole sitting in a gray Ford Explorer that was stopped in the traffic lane on the northbound side of Western Avenue by Buchanan Circle with the windshield wipers running and the key in the ignition, but the engine off, according to court documents.She had two children, ages 4 and 13, in the back seat, according to the police report.The report states police asked if she was all right to which Cole respond, “What (do you) mean am I all right, course I?m all right.”Officer Russell Gokas stated in the report that he could detect a “strong odor of an intoxicating beverage” on Cole?s breath, and observed “slurred speech” and “glossy blood shot eyes.”The report says Cole told police she was coming from Salem into Lynn, however, Gokas noted her car was facing north into Salem and the report said Cole asked police, “I?m in Swampscott right?”The report states that Cole told police she had been drinking, and police found a full, unopened bottle of Bacardi peach red rum between the front seat and an opened case of Corona Extra beer in the back seat with 10 unopened bottles, five opened and empty bottles and eight missing bottles.Police also found a prescription bottle for oxycodone tablets in the front cup holder, according to the report.Cole?s children were placed in the custody of relatives. She was arraigned in Lynn District Court Thursday and released on $250 bail, according to court documents. Cole is due back in court on June 13.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].