Kathlene E. Bell

DOVER — A 36-year-old Camden-Wyoming woman was allegedly driving an estimated 80 mph before being arrested on a felony DUI of alcohol charge early Monday morning, police said in court papers.

According to the Delaware State Police in a probable cause affidavit, the sequence began at 4 a.m. when a vehicle allegedly changed lanes without signaling and accelerated past a trooper’s car while traveling southbound on U.S. 13 near Lochmeath Way.

Authorities alleged that the vehicle was “traveling at a high rate of speed on a dark roadway approaching an intersection.

“I sped up to catch up to her vehicle; I was pacing her vehicle at 80 mph ... in the right lane before activating my emergency equipment.”

After a vehicle stop, the trooper said he saw the driver - later identified as Kathlene E. Bell, of the first block of Wild Meadow Lane - with “blood shot, glassy eyes, and an odor of alcohol.”

Ms. Bell later pleaded not guilty to third offense DUI, failure to have insurance card in possession, failure to signal, and driving at an unsafe speed. She posted $3,200 unsecured bail at JP Court 7 in Dover, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Friday morning in the Kent County Court of Common Pleas.

According to police in court documents, Ms. Bell said “the reason she failed to signal and was speeding was because she had to use the restroom.

“Upon asking [Ms.] Bell where she was coming from she stated she was returning home from a friends going away party where she did consume three beers and two shots hours ago.”

Ms. Bell reported that she did not have insurance identification in the vehicle, police said in the affidavit.

The trooper said Ms. Bell “performed poorly” on pre exit tests and a Standard Field Sobriety Test. A sample for a preliminary breath test was provided at 4:27 a.m., police said, which yielded a .16 percent result, according to police.

Ms. Bell was then placed into custody for alleged driving under the influence. She was transported to DSP Troop 3, read her Miranda Rights and observed from 4:56 a.m. to 5:21 a.m., police said in court documents.

An intoxilyzer breath test that followed allegedly yielded a result of .147 percent, according to police.

Authorities said Ms. Bell was found guilty of DUI of alcohol on July 19, 2004 and April 27, 2009.