30 days in jail for Mason City woman accused of passing out drunk while driving with child in car

CLEAR LAKE — It’s 30 days in jail for a Mason City woman accused of child endangerment while operating while intoxicated.

A criminal complaint stated that law enforcement was dispatched on the evening of June 7th near the intersection of US Highway 18 and Shorewood Way in Clear Lake to a report of a woman passed out in a vehicle with a child in it. An officer found the woman to be under the influence of alcohol and in possession of marijuana.

Witnesses stated that the woman reportedly could not maintain lanes and almost went head-on with oncoming traffic, and was woken up by witnesses and that caused the vehicle to collide with a witness vehicle.

The complaint stated the woman’s preliminary breath test result was .184, over twice the legal limit for operating while intoxicated, and then she refused another blood alcohol content test.  

37-year-old Jessica Paulsen was charged with child endangerment causing bodily injury, a Class D felony, as well as operating while under the influence second offense and possession of a controlled substance.

As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Paulsen pleaded guilty to the aggravated misdemeanor of child endangerment as well as OWI second offense. She was sentenced last week to a suspended two-year prison sentence on the child endangerment charge, as well as sentenced to 365 days in jail on the OWI charge, with all but 30 days suspended.