Let's just walk over here. Whoa, don't fall on me. Don't fall on me, ma'am. >> You are >> Well, what we're going to do then, since you don't want to get out of the vehicle, cuz I don't want to, you know, pull you out right now, I'm going to wait for my partner to get here. We're found in the ditch right south of the Ogden football stadium on Highway 30. You know where go it goes from the narrow road to the wide road? Yeah, you can put them on. Absolutely. >> Whatever works for you. >> Just after 8:00 on a Tuesday night in central Iowa, a pickup truck was moving the wrong way down a four-lane highway. Not fast, slow, drifting toward the median. And the drivers coming at it could see that the woman behind the wheel wasn't steering at all. She was slumped forward, head down. >> [music] >> What none of them knew, as they dialed 911 from the shoulder of Highway 30, was exactly who was sitting in that driver's seat. Her name was Adri Kester, 55 years old from the small town of Ogden, Iowa. A former county attorney, a former prosecutor, and a former defense lawyer. Appointed to the bench in 2017, and in December of 2022, the chief justice of the Iowa Supreme Court handed her the biggest judicial district in the state. 22 counties, hundreds of judges and court employees answering to her. She was the chief judge, the person other people stood in front of on the worst day of their lives. The first 911 call came in a few minutes after 8:00. A truck heading east in the westbound lanes. >> County 46, you said the 600 block of 30? >> 4 600 block. If you take 216, it then comes from that side. It'll be from coming from the west side, I believe. >> I'm going to break free from the unblock and start that >> 12. I'm also taking a call that it's in the east east bound in the west bound lane where it goes into on >> Then another call. The driver looked unconscious, slumped over the steering wheel. Then a third. The vehicle was in the median now, still rolling, still moving with nobody awake at the wheel, say. >> [music] >> And this is the part of the story that gets skipped in the headlines. >> Can you >> I have a vehicle on the side of the emergency. >> Yes, there's a car on going in oncoming traffic. Okay, and the the person >> Where am I, Billy? >> We are on highway going on to the Ogden on highway 30 where they split. >> Okay, you're going on on like towards Boone, like you're going towards Ogden or you're going out of Ogden? Like which one? >> I'm going out of Boone, but the the guy is unconscious and the car is rolling. >> What do you mean the car like the car is rolling slowly and nobody's in it or like the guy looks passed out? >> The the guy looks like he's passed out and the car is rolling slowly. >> Okay. >> I tried to get out and to assist, but I think it's just going to cause more. >> Okay, give me 1 second. What kind of car is it? >> It's a black Ford truck. >> And you said for sure that the male that's in that vehicle is is unconscious? >> He's hunched over. >> Okay. Are you able to get up to that vehicle or are you out there with it? >> I want I'm trying to get my wife to turn around, but she won't. >> Everybody's going slow though, Billy. They can see the headlights. So, if you if you go over and go right behind him, you're not going to do it. >> Please. >> Okay. >> Look around. Nobody's coming. Look around. >> Are you with the person right now? Can you see them? >> We're just following really slow right behind them. She's pulling into the ditch right now. So, if I can get in and I'll I'll park the car. We're flashing our lights. >> Okay. >> I'm a nurse, so I >> Are you able to get out and like do you feel safe to do that? Because if you do, then I'm going to I have some questions for you, but if you don't, that's okay. I have a bunch of people on the way. >> One of the drivers who called it in didn't just stay on the phone. She pulled over, got out, and went to the while it was still moving. The door was locked, so she climbed in through the back window. A stranger on a dark highway crawling into a brand new GMC pickup to reach the gearshift. She put it in park. She shut the engine off, and that is the only reason this story does not have a body count. When the Boone County deputy got there, the judge was still in the driver's seat. In his report, he described her as heavily intoxicated, unsteady, bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech. >> Hi. Hi, ma'am. >> She just She doesn't know what happened. She can't respond. >> Okay. I'm Deputy Arson of Boone County Sheriff's Office. Are you feeling okay tonight? >> I guess. >> Okay. Well, you're in the median here, so something happened. Are you sure you're feeling all right? Do you have any Do you have any medical conditions, diabetic, anything like that? No. Okay. Do you have a license on you? >> Yes. >> Okay. Can you grab it for me, please? >> Wait. Driver's license? >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah, if you could grab your uh driver's license registration for me. >> I'm not sure what you were asking me for. >> Your driver's license, registration, proof of insurance. You can unbuckle to get it. That's okay. You don't need to what? >> Do that. >> Well, you lost control of your vehicle. >> I realize that. >> Okay. Where are you coming from tonight? So, my my primary concern is your welfare, right? So, I want to make sure you're all right. So, medics are going to come and check you out, okay? But, I kind of need to know what's go what what what what's going on with you tonight. Are you tired or having a medical episode? Okay. So, where are you coming from tonight? Hello. I need to make sure you're okay, all right? Cuz the ambulance is going to come check you out here. They need to know if you have any medical conditions, what your name and stuff like that is. >> I answered >> What's that? >> I answered you earlier. >> That you don't have any medical conditions? >> That's true. >> Okay. Where are you coming from tonight? You want to talk to him? You want to talk to Nate? She's just shaking her head. She's not answering any questions. >> Okay. >> So, I don't know where she's coming from. Is she Do you know if she has any medical conditions? >> Uh she's got all kinds of stuff, but I don't know if I mean she's got cancer or what she has. >> Okay, but like uh diabetes or anything like that? >> No, she doesn't. >> We'll let the paramedics talk to her. Okay. We'll let We'll let the paramedics talk to her. We'll go from there. >> All right. >> Doesn't look like there's any damage to the truck. Just looks like she drove into the median here. Just outside Ogden, so. >> Okay. >> All right. >> All right. Thanks. Thanks. >> Ms. Custer, can can we get your ID from you before you leave? Please. For your ID, your driver's license. >> Can you just get it? >> Yeah, that's fine. Yeah, I can grab it. Is that okay with you? >> Yeah. >> Okay. All right. Where's it at in your car? Is it in the passenger seat? >> And in the vehicle, a cup with a liquid in it that smelled like alcohol. She could not walk on her own. Deputies had to help her to an ambulance. She was cleared by medical staff, and she still could not walk. >> We just want to make sure everything's okay medically. >> Run her DL, please. >> One more step. >> Got her? >> One more big step, and then I'll have you set. >> Do you feel confused at all? >> No. >> No? Okay. >> When the deputy asked about field sobriety tests, she wouldn't answer. He wrote that it wouldn't have been safe to run them anyway in the condition she was in. So, a warrant was signed. >> So, you tell us that you're not confused, but we don't know that until we get answers from you, okay? And so, if we can't get those answers from you, that's why we have to take you to the hospital to figure it out. Is that fair? Okay. So, do you want to answer our questions or not? >> No, I will. >> Okay. Okay. >> Absolutely. >> Do you know what day of the week it is? >> It's a Monday. >> Monday? Okay. Where were you driving to? >> I don't need to answer that question. >> Okay. That's fine. >> I don't know. >> Do you have a question for me, ma'am? >> No. >> Okay. All right. >> Try and keep this arm relaxed, so when it when it blows up on your arm, it'll go real easy, okay? >> I don't really want it to blow up on my arm. >> So, we'll just leave this arm. We won't move it, okay? Just for just now until it pumps up and then releases, okay? >> We're just going to get one quick blood pressure and then we'll take it off. >> Just want to make sure it's >> Can I hold this hand and help you out with this one? I just don't want you to fall. >> Okay. Let him hold your hand just to help you down. >> I don't feel like this. That's what I want. >> Okay. Okay. >> not. >> Okay. >> That's between you and them, okay? >> Okay. You pronounce your name Audria? >> No. >> How do you pronounce it? >> Okay. >> You want to step away from the door? So, they can close it. >> If you don't need anything from them, they can let you go. >> Okay. I don't want you to fall. You're kind of stumbling here. You okay? >> I am stumbling. >> Okay. >> Right here. >> Okay. All right. We're good. Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> All right. Audria, do you want to just kind of step over here away from the ambulance for me? >> No. >> Okay. All right, so Well, we're just going to let them pull off and then we'll talk to you, okay? So, there's not noise in the background. All right, Audra. So, here here's the deal. How much you had to drink tonight? Just a little bit, a lot a bit? You don't want to answer? Cuz our our concern is you were driving on the wrong side of Highway 30. You drove in the median. A witness saw you passed out over your steering wheel. Just standing here, I mean, you can't maintain your balance. You had to be walked to the ambulance. You got glassy eyes. And the beverage that was in your vehicle smells of alcohol. So, where you where you come Nope, don't fall. Don't fall, ma'am. >> Do you need to take a seat? >> Do you want to sit down in my car and we can continue the conversation? I don't want to see you fall and get hurt. Well, let's walk you over to my car, okay? Come on. Can you walk yourself? I really don't want to make this any harder than it has to be, okay? Are you okay, Audra? You can tell me how to pronounce your name and I'll I'll say it right. Okay, come on, let's go. Okay. Let's just walk over here. Oh, don't fall on me. Don't fall on me, ma'am. >> You are >> Yeah, I'll just I just want >> Okay. Okay. >> She just keeps falling, so that's why. >> We're good. >> We're just going to set you in the back of my car cuz I don't want to see you get hurt, okay? >> Just watch your step, okay? >> Step up there. Have a seat for me, please. >> there if you want to grab that. Right up here where my light is. Right there. If you want to grab that handle. Right here. However you need to get in. Whoa. >> Can you >> I'm just trying to make sure you don't fall, ma'am. >> Can you not push me? >> I'm not trying to push you. You're falling backwards, so I was trying to make sure you didn't fall backwards, okay? >> [ __ ] off. >> Okay. Do you have any weapons on you or anything like that? Okay. All right. Do you want to talk at all? I told you what my concerns were, okay? You were driving on the wrong side of Highway 30. You ran in the median. A witness saw you passed out over your steering wheel. You had an alcoholic beverage in your vehicle. You have glassy eyes. You can't even walk. You have slurred speech. So, I want to offer you field sobriety tests if that would be something you're willing to do to make sure you're okay to be driving. Is that something you'd be willing to do? I want to give you every opportunity. What do you want done with your vehicle? So, what's going to happen from here? Okay? You know, we're going to go to the law enforcement center. We're going to go to the jail and we're going to do some stuff for OWI investigation, okay? Do you have any questions about that? Okay. And I'm just going to put handcuffs on you in the front. You don't have any weapons on you, anything like that? I'm just going to put handcuffs on you just in the front, okay? Do you have any questions? Ma'am, do you know Do you have anything in the vehicle that you want to take with you? A cell phone, a wallet, anything like that? >> No. >> No. Is there I didn't find your ID in the vehicle. Do you know where it's at? Your driver's license? You don't know where it's at? Okay. >> Are your keys in there or are they with you? >> Okay. All right. You still with us? >> All right. >> Oh, ma'am. Ma'am. Are you awake? Can you step out for me? >> No. >> No? Well, ma'am, I need you to step out for me, okay? >> No. >> No? Is there anything I can do or say to to get you out? Cuz I do eventually have to get you out. I don't want to have to drag you out or anything like that. I'm trying to be super uh compliant with you or trying to get you to be super compliant with me. I understand your upset. I understand these circumstances aren't ideal, but I am going to need you to step out of the car for me, okay? You don't want us to have to drag you out, do you? Cuz one way or another, you're going to have to come out. >> No. Are you okay? Ma'am. Could you please step out for me? Adria, are you okay? Adria. Can you talk to me at least make sure you're okay? I really am trying to do everything I can to not have to escalate this all. I don't want to have to pull you out of the car, you know, anything like that. I'd really just rather you step out of the vehicle for me, okay? So, I mean, I have a supervisor on the way. Would you rather talk to him than me? And if that doesn't go anywhere, we're going to have to take you out of the vehicle, which we really don't want to have to do. Does that make sense? All right, I'm going to read you something, okay? You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to talk to a lawyer and have one present with you while you're being questioned. If you cannot hire a lawyer, the court will appoint one for you. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements. Do you understand each of these rights have I have as I have read to them to you? Having these rights in mind, do you wish to talk with us? >> Her blood was drawn at Boone County Hospital. She was booked into the Boone County Jail at 4:00 in the morning on a first offense OWI. >> Oh, she's spitting up. What can I do to help you? >> Yes, she is. >> Okay. I just didn't want to do something you didn't want. >> There you go. >> Do you want to put her on the seat? >> Yeah, I'll grab her shoes real quick. >> Oh, she's spitting up. >> Okay. >> What can I do to help you? >> Grab her shoes. >> Okay. I just didn't want to do something you didn't want. >> Do you want to put her on the >> She's just >> And then the case ran into a nobody in that county could fix. She was the chief judge. A local judge stepped aside citing her professional relationship with Kester. The Boone County Attorney's office stepped aside, too. The chief justice had to order a judge from outside the district to take the case. And prosecutors from Polk County were brought in as special prosecutors. The system had to leave town to try one of its own. >> Hi. Um You don't need to. I want you to know your phone's here for you if you want to. Um I told Nate you might be calling him. Um No. He wasn't ever here. So. Oh, no. You can call him if you want to. I brought your phone for you to do that if you want. Do you want to do it from your phone? You can do it from your phone. Do you know what his number is? Do you want me to call him? I don't have his number saved in this phone. Not in this phone. Or I can go look it up. Do you want me to look it up and call him? Okay. Do you need anybody else's number or anything? Um just so you know, we do have a blood draw warrant for you. Um so just letting you know. Um obviously I want you to speak with Nate or whatever you guys want to do. Um Yeah. That's totally fine. Um your phone is there for you. Obviously I assume you have numbers or anything like that in there that you'd like. Um is there anything else I can get you right now? I let Nate pick your truck up. He took it home. Just so you know. Um Obviously I want you to talk to Nate and stuff, but um at some point um I'm going to ask if you want to submit to that blood draw, okay? Yeah. Fly come by? >> What is that? >> I think it was a fly. Okay. If there's anything else I can get you, just let me know though, okay? Um I'm going to move your phone onto the bed since I'm sure with that connected to your finger you can't reach it. Now you can if you want it, okay? >> Yeah. >> I forgot I grabbed your glasses, too. Assuming you want Do you want those? Okay. All right, that's why I talked to Nate and he said you'd probably want them. I also have your wallet. I'll set it over here for you if you want it. >> He just said he didn't know if you would want it or not. So, it's here if you need it. >> So, can you explain what happened? >> Yeah. So, um someone called you in um and you were traveling on US Highway 30 and they reported that you were slumped at the wheel. Um you were found in the ditch right south of the Ogden football stadium on Highway 30. You know where it go it goes from the narrow road to the wide road, right there. So, you had driven on the wrong side of the highway. So, you were driving on the wrong side of Highway 30 and went in the ditch there. >> So, I just want to know if I'm charged with anything right now. >> Uh you're probably going to be charged with auto vehicle So, um there was also an open container in the vehicle. So, probably those two things. >> Okay. >> Um but that's kind of the explanation of that. Um so, just whenever obviously you have time, if you want to do that blood draw, we'll do that at a certain point and go from there. Okay. That's your choice. You 100% your choice. Um so, we'll go from there. Anything else I can answer for you right now? I got your shoes for you. She said to you You don't have to run if you don't want to run. Yeah, it's up to you. >> This is okay. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, you can put them on. I don't I don't care. Absolutely. Whatever works for you. You bet. >> I can take this off me. >> Yep. Yep. You can have it. We're not going to do it. Yep. It's that seat. Straight to the gray door right there. Okay. Yep, just straight ahead. >> And jailers will come and instruct you what to do next. >> Yeah, not too long ago. She just got blood drawn is all of it. An IV. I'm just going to place my hand here in case you need to lean against it. There is a handle right here as well if you want it. Just don't want you to slip. >> We'll walk this way. >> Straight through the door right there. Yep, just straight ahead. >> And jailers will come and instruct you what to do next. >> Two days after the arrest, she resigned as chief judge, effective immediately. She kept her seat on the bench as a district judge. On December 2nd, she pleaded guilty. Three days in jail with credit for the one she had already served. A $1,250 fine, 1 year of probation, an education [music] program, and a temporary license suspension. One number in this file stops people cold. The blood wasn't taken at the roadside. It was taken almost 6 hours after she was pulled from that truck. 6 hours to burn it off. And it still came back at more than three times the legal limit. Three days in jail. If it had been you in that median, would the number be the same?