Tue, Dec 02, 2008
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Glenda Rumsey
CORT WAREHOUSE/DRIVER Construction Komatsu Equipment Co Mechanic General CORT Warehouse Supervisor Education Assessment Technology, Inc Social Studies Content Writer Health Care Rio Salado College PA's/Online Instructors Tucson RegionBreath tests land bike-death defendant in jailARIZONA DAILY STAR
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 08.29.2008
A Tucson woman awaiting trial in the killing of a 14-year-old bicyclist in an alcohol-related crash was taken into custody after a court appearance Thursday morning when she tested positive for alcohol.
A Pima County Pretrial Services Division employee told Pima County Superior Court Judge Richard Fields that breath tests administered to Glenda Rumsey after court showed she had a blood alcohol content of 0.012 and 0.007.
Rumsey, 42, has been out of jail on $50,000 bond since shortly after the Jan. 12 death of Jose Rincon. She was ordered not to drink alcohol and to take Antabuse, a drug that makes people ill if they drink alcohol.
Rincon and his friend Oscar Perez were riding their bicycles east on Broadway near Vozack Lane on the East Side at around 7:20 p.m. Jan. 12 when Rumsey struck both teens with her car, according to Tucson police.
Rumsey continued driving but stopped a half-mile later, police said. Rincon was killed.
Rumsey, who's blood alcohol content tested at 0.249, was indicted Jan. 22 on charges of manslaughter, aggravated assault and driving under the influence. The state's legal limit is 0.08. She was also charged with leaving the scene after causing a fatal crash.
Rumsey was in court Thursday so attorneys on the case could discuss future court dates. After the hearing, Rumsey met with the Pretrial Services employee.
About an hour later, the employee came back to court to inform Fields of the positive breath tests. She also informed the judge Rumsey told her she had had two non-alcoholic beers Wednesday night.
Deputy Pima County Attorney Mark Diebolt asked Fields to take Rumsey into custody immediately, calling her a "threat to the community."
Defense attorney Michael Bloom objected, saying the breath tests showed only "trace" amounts of alcohol in her system, which could be fully explained by the "near beers."
If she had to be taken into custody, Bloom suggested Rumsey be allowed to turn herself in this morning, giving her time to make arrangements for her children, pets and work.
Had Rumsey really had two "near beers" Wednesday night, the small amount of alcohol in them would have burned off by the time of her court hearing, Diebolt said.
"I think there's some deception going on," Diebolt said.
The judge had Rumsey taken into custody immediately. Fields told Bloom he was unwilling to take a chance on Rumsey. He set a new bond of $75,000.
As Rumsey was led out of the courtroom sobbing, Rincon's father, Jose, also began to cry.
Thursday's incident reiterated the sad fact that so many lives have been ruined, he later explained.
Rumsey was in the Pima County jail Thursday night. She is scheduled to go to trial Oct. 14.
● Reporter Kim Smith: 573-4241 or kimsmith@azstarnet.com.
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