A Utah woman may have ruined her chances at being named mother of the year after she allegedly pretended to be her daughter in an attempt to avoid being arrested.
Police in Davis County pulled over Heather Garcia, 38, on Saturday night, after noticing her car did not have a license plate.
An officer searched the vehicle and found drug paraphernalia and a white powdery substance, according to local station KUTV.
The substance later tested positive for meth, according to Gephardt Daily, a Utah news outlet.
What the officer allegedly didn’t get was a straight answer from Garcia about her identity.
At first, according to reports, she told police she did not have her ID. Then she said her name was Mercedes and that she was born in 1998.
“I went back to my patrol vehicle and performed a records search on the name given,” the arresting officer wrote in a police report obtained by Gephardt Daily.
He said the photo that came back “appeared to be a different individual.”
Once a positive ID was made, investigators discovered Garcia had outstanding warrants and took her into custody.
She was also charged with providing false personal information with intent to be another actual person; possession of a controlled substance; driving on a suspended or revoked license; and operating a vehicle without insurance.
Garcia remains behind bars in the Davis County Jail on $9,077 bond.
Need help with substance abuse or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.
