Penn Yan Woman Arrested For Felony DWI

Police Blotter
Rear view of a Village of Penn Yan Police car with flashing red and blue lights on a street at night.
Photo: Lucas Day, Finger Lakes Daily News

On Wednesday, police arrested a Penn Yan woman following a report of an intoxicated driver who was allegedly driving erratically.

Officers located the vehicle and observed numerous traffic violations. Police attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver allegedly failed to pull over until reaching her destination. Upon stopping, the driver was identified as Betty Woodside, 72. During the stop, Woodside displayed several signs of intoxication and refused to perform standardized field sobriety tests.

Woodside was taken into custody and transported to the Yates County Jail, where she also refused a chemical breath test. A DMV check revealed her New York State operating privileges were revoked for failing to attend a state drinking driver program and for a prior DWI conviction in 2023, elevating the current charge to a felony.

Woodside was charged with felony driving while intoxicated, aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, failure to keep right, failing to comply with a lawful order, failing to stop at a stop sign, insufficient turn signal within 100 feet, and moving from a lane unsafely. She was processed and held at the Yates County Jail to await a centralized arraignment.

The charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Police reports are automatically removed from this site after 90 days.

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