A school board member of the Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Community School District was arrested Wednesday night in Keokuk County after allegedly driving drunk with two children in the vehicle.
42-year-old Lara Vandello was charged with two counts of neglect or abandonment of a dependent person, a Class C felony, and operating while intoxicated – first offense, a serious misdemeanor.
At 8:27 PM, court documents say a trooper from the Keokuk County Sheriff’s Office pulled over a vehicle driven by Vandello for speeding on Highway 149 south of Sigourney.
The trooper says he noticed Vandello exhibiting multiple signs of impairment: bloodshot, water eyes, slurred speech, an odor of alcohol, mumbled speech, and difficulty maintaining her balance. Vandello allegedly admitted to drinking vodka and the officer observed an open bottle of vodka in the front drivers side door.
The criminal complaint states there were two 12-year-old girls in the vehicle as well.
It was later determined that Vandello had a BAC of 0.233, according to court records, nearly three times the legal limit of 0.08.
Vanello is a member of the Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Board of Directors. Her term ends in 2025, according to the Wapello County Elections website.
Vandello was transported to the Keokuk County Jail. Her bond was set at $5,000.
