Oct 22, 2018 2 min read

A Rostraver Township woman who was wanted in a drug case was arrested Friday on charges she was dealing in an assortment of illegal prescriptions and cocaine.

Westmoreland County deputy sheriffs apprehended Terri Lynn Down-Hayes, 43, following a short pursuit about 10:30 p.m. Friday in West Newton, court records show.

Investigators had received a confidential tip that night that Hayes-Downs, who was hiding in Pittsburgh, was driving a blue-gray Chevy Impala and dealing crack in West Newton, according to the affidavit in the new case.

A deputy located the vehicle parked on North Third Street near a house occupied by a known drug dealer. Downs-Hayes, of 315 Darr St., Van Meter, was later identified as the driver after two men walked down the street and got into the car, court records state.

She continued to drive after the deputies tried to pull over her vehicle but then came to an abrupt stop, nearly striking a parked vehicle, court records allege.

The deputies seized a pink purse that fell out of her lap as she got out of her car. It held a crack pipe along with nine Suboxone strips and a pill bottle containing 12 Xanax tablets. A black purse found on the floor of the car contained 13 alprazolam doses, court records state. Also seized from the vehicle were a box holding suspected lidocaine, which is used to cut cocaine and three cellphones. State police would later find a small amount of marijuana, seven grams of cocaine and two of crack in her possession, the records claim.

She also was accused of having a large folding knife in the front of her pants. The two male passengers were released after the deputies determined they didn’t possess any illegal drugs.

Downs-Hayes was wanted at the time for failure to appear for an Oct. 29 preliminary hearing before District Judge Charles Christner in a separate drug case filed by the sheriff’s office, online court records show.

She was placed Saturday in Westmoreland County jail pending an arraignment Monday on charges of drug possession with intent to deliver, fleeing from police, tampering with evidence, drug possession, possession of a small amount of marijuana, possessing a prohibited offensive weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia.

She also was accused of driving with a suspended or revoked license and careless driving.

Christner set her bond at $50,000.