Portsmouth police officers stopped and arrested a Tiverton woman for driving drunk with her 8-year-old son in the car last week.

According to police, multiple witnesses called to report a black Chevy Cruze that was driving erratically at about 1:10 p.m. last Thursday, Aug. 9, on East Main Road. People reported seeing the car in Middletown, where it nearly rear-ended another vehicle before continuing northbound. At one point, according to police, the vehicle was traveling in the southbound lanes while still operating north.

Portsmouth officers stopped the car on East Main Road near Lepes Road and approached the driver, later identified as Rebecca Elizabeth Cottle, 32, of 14 Tower Hill Road, Tiverton. They saw the boy in the car, along with several bottles of alcoholic cider in the car.

According to officers, Ms. Cottle displayed obvious signs of intoxication, and she failed field sobriety tests. She was placed under arrest and charged with driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor (second offense), refusal to submit to a breath test (second offense) and driving while her license was suspended with enhanced penalties. The Department of Child and Family Services was contacted to assist with her son.

Ms. Cottle was arraigned in Second Division District Court the next day, when she pleaded not guilty.