WALES, Maine — A Litchfield woman is facing her fourth drunken driving charge after an accident in Wales last week, according to Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland.

Police had been attempting to locate Kristy Cookson, 33, after she was apparently released from a Lewiston hospital over the weekend without police being notified, McCausland said.





Cookson was arrested by state police about 1:00 p.m. Monday at an Auburn apartment, McCausland said in an update.

The crash occurred on Route 132 last Wednesday near the Sabattus town line, McCausland said. Cookson’s 4-year-old son was in the van she was driving, and the vehicle went off the road into a cluster of trees, forcing medical personnel to use a chainsaw to free the duo.

The child was not seriously injured while Cookson suffered an ankle injury, McCausland said. Cookson was charged with OUI before being taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

The crash marks the fourth time in the last 10 years Cookson has been charged with OUI, with last week’s being increased to aggravated because of her son being in the vehicle. Cookson also has 13 driver’s license suspensions on her record.

In 2009, she was shot by a pair of Lewiston police officers after a chase through the city during which Cookson attempted to run down one officer after the chase ended.

Cookson is being held at the Androscoggin County Jail.