Coralville woman accused of OWI, child endangerment

A 40-year-old Coralville woman was arrested on suspicion of operating while intoxicated and child endangerment Sunday night after authorities say she admitted that she drove to a grocery store while intoxicated with a 1-year-old child in her car.

Coralville police reports indicate that Tammy J. Freidhof, of 1329 Sweeting lane, first came into contact with officers around 8:15 p.m. Sunday after they received a call from concerned Hy-Vee staff. Authorities were told that a woman with a child had been in the store throwing things in her shopping cart, sometimes missing the cart. She was also breaking items on the floor and had left the store without paying.

When questioned and placed under arrest for fifth-degree theft, Freidhof allegedly admitted to officers that she had driven to the store with the 1-year-old child in the car with her. Freidhof blew a .225 blood alcohol content during a breath test, Coralville police chief Barry Bedford said.

"She was then arrested on charges of operating while intoxicated, even though she wasn't actually observed driving,"  Bedford said. "She was taken into custody and the child was turned over to a family member."

Freidhof was being held at the Johnson County Jail on Monday morning, but was later released on her own recognizance.