An incident involving an Iowa judge has drawn attention after she was reportedly found driving in the wrong direction on a highway, crashing into a median while appearing to be unconscious, authorities reported.

Adria Kester, who serves as the chief judge of Iowa’s Second Judicial District, has been charged with her first offense of operating while under the influence, according to court records. The incident occurred shortly after 8 p.m. on November 4th, when concerned drivers alerted 911 about Kester’s 2026 GMC Canyon Denali moving east in the westbound lanes of U.S. Highway 30 near Boone, approximately 45 miles northwest of Des Moines. This information comes from a criminal complaint obtained by The Associated Press.

According to witnesses, the 55-year-old Kester was seen slumped over the steering wheel as her vehicle veered into the median. An attempt by one witness to open the driver’s door was unsuccessful as the truck continued to move slowly through the median. The witness reportedly had to enter the vehicle through a back window to bring it to a stop.

Officers from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene to find Kester unresponsive in the driver’s seat. The affidavit notes that they discovered a cup containing a liquid with an alcohol-like odor. Observations of Kester included bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, and she was reportedly unable to walk when deputies assisted her out of the vehicle.

The level of Kester’s intoxication was reportedly so severe that deputies decided against conducting field sobriety tests due to safety concerns. She was subsequently transported to a hospital for medical evaluation, where a blood sample was collected for analysis. The results of the blood test are still pending.

“Judge Kester recognizes the seriousness of the situation and is fully cooperating with law enforcement and the judicial process,” her attorney Matt Lindholm said in a statement to the AP. “She is committed to addressing this matter responsibly and in accordance with the law.”

Kester was appointed to the bench in 2017. She was previously a prosecutor, public defender and private defense attorney, according to her biography.