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Avella mother charged

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Editor’s Note: This story has been corrected. The 3-year-old boy who was a passenger was not injured in the wreck. An earlier version incorrectly indicated he was hurt.

An Avella mother was charged Thursday by state police with endangering the welfare of children and driving under the influence of alcohol after she allegedly crashed her vehicle with her 3-year-old son inside.

Elizabeth Estelle Woodburn, 28, of 70 Brunner Drive, also is charged with failure to stay in her lane, careless driving and failure to drive at a safe speed.

Police were called about 2:30 a.m. April 12 to the 2100 block of Avella Road (Route 50) in Independence Township for a report of a one-vehicle rollover crash. When police arrived, Woodburn was sitting in the front yard of 2119 Avella, where she was being treated for her injuries.

Police said Woodburn could give officers only her name, date of birth and telephone number. She reportedly told police she was traveling east but could not remember anything else. Police said she smelled of alcohol. Woodburn’s 3-year-old was in a child safety seat in the back seat of the crashed vehicle. The boy, who was not injured, was removed from the vehicle by emergency medical personnel.

Woodburn was taken to UPMC-Presbyterian hospital for treatment of head and leg injuries.

The charges were sent by summons from the office of District Judge Ethan Ward. Woodburn is scheduled for an Aug. 4 preliminary hearing before Ward.

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