Hunter
05/16/21
A Coralville woman who went to the Johnson County Jail to check on an inmate ended up getting booked on OWI charges.
Deputies say the incident occurred Saturday at approximately 2:45 am. 27-year-old Melanie Keplinger reportedly came to the jail to inquire about an inmate, and left when staff started to question her about her alcohol consumption.
An officer stopped Keplinger outside the jail, and allegedly observed her with bloodshot watery eyes, impaired speech, and the odor of ingested alcohol. She reportedly admitted to both drinking and then driving to the jail. Field tests showed measurable impairment, and a PBT resulted in a blood-alcohol reading of .120.
Keplinger was charged with her first OWI, a serious misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail if convicted. She was released at 9:15 that morning.
