After a night of bar-hopping, a woman was too drunk to drive. As she began to leave one bar, the manager walked her outside, hoping to call her a cab. When they approached her car, however, the drunken woman launched an attack after the manager took one look and saw what was in the vehicle, prompting a call to police.
Catherine Durham was enjoying a Saturday night out when she headed to Louie’s Bar and Grill in Oklahoma City. She wasn’t there long before the staff realized the woman was drunk and had been bar-hopping. Almost immediately after consuming just two alcoholic beverages she ordered at Louie’s, 33-year-old Durham began acting intoxicated, KFOR reports. The seemingly sudden intoxication from just two drinks was a red flag for the staff.
Soon, their suspicions were confirmed as Durham revealed she had been drinking at other local bars before she stopped at Louie’s, according to witnesses. She consumed just two shots while spending 30 minutes at Louie’s, according to the manager, and witnesses say that was enough to leave her slurring her words and falling down drunk. It was obvious she was in no condition to drive.
“She started getting a little slurry and I told her you should probably get a cab and drink some water,” one of the bartenders told the local news, according to Inquisitr. “She said she needed to get something out of her car.” But, having this woman get behind the wheel in her impaired condition was not a chance bar employees were willing to take. So, when Durham attempted to leave, an unnamed manager followed her outside, offering to find her a ride.
That’s when something in Durham’s car caught the manager’s eye. Strapped into a car seat was Durham’s 8-month-old child, who she had left alone in the backseat of the vehicle while the mom went drinking. Since there was no way the manager could let Durham get behind the wheel with an innocent child on board, she attempted to take the woman’s keys. That’s when Durham became aggressive, grabbing the female manager by her hair.
Luckily, the manager was able to call 911. But, before authorities could arrive, witnesses say the highly intoxicated woman tried to get in the car and drive away with the baby in the back. Fortunately, they were able to stop her from leaving long enough for police to respond to the scene. When officers arrived shortly after midnight, they found Durham walking behind the building as if trying to hide, holding her young child in her arms, according to News9. The heavily intoxicated woman tripped and fell as officers watched, but thankfully, the baby wasn’t harmed.
Catherine Durham was arrested, charged with child endangerment, and booked into the Oklahoma County Jail. Because of the mother’s extreme level of intoxication and the fact that the baby was left alone in the vehicle for 30 minutes that authorities knew of, thanks to the witnesses and staff at Louie’s, the child was placed into protective custody. The infant was reportedly released to Durham’s neighbor, who works for the Department of Health Services.
The staff at Louie’s Bar and Grill have been rightfully credited with protecting an infant. Thankfully, the bartenders were paying attention and realized that Catherine Durham wasn’t just a little tipsy — she was really drunk. And, rather than turn a blind eye, they went above and beyond, trying to get the woman to call a cab and even following her outside. Their diligence likely saved many lives that night.
Hopefully, other bartenders, waitstaff where alcohol is served, and even fellow patrons of such places remember this story. Had a few good Samaritans not gone out of their way to stop a drunk from getting behind the wheel, this story would likely have had a much different ending. Although the saying is “Friends don’t let friends drink and drive,” it should be “No one lets anyone drink and drive.” Anyone who witnesses someone attempting to drive while intoxicated needs to step in and take the keys.
