Woman jailed after driving into deputy working traffic accident

Celia Ristau

Celia Ristau

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A Carson City woman who lost control of her car on the snow-covered roads Thursday night., striking a deputy working a traffic accident, was arrested for allegedly being under the influence and in possession of heroin.

Cecilia Rose Norma Ristau, 19, was booked into the Carson City Jail at 9:37 p.m. on suspicion of felony possession of heroin, misdemeanor driving under the influence of heroin, speed to fast for conditions and possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the arrest report, Deputy Dan Ochsenschlager was on the freeway overpass setting up flares after a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper was struck by a vehicle about 8:30 p.m. while working an accident.

Ristau, driving a Saturn Ion and carrying three passengers, was driving southbound on the overpass near the North Carson Street exit when she lost control about 9:10 p.m., careening toward Ochsenschlager, the report states.

The deputy saw it coming. He tried to run toward the concrete divider to jump over, but was unable to make it. The Saturn spun sideways and hit Ochsenschlager in the legs, and he was flipped over the hood and onto the ground.

Ochsenschlager was treated and released from Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.

When officers contacted Ristau and her occupants, all allegedly had red watery eyes and slurred speech.

When asked about a hypodermic needle allegedly protruding from her sweatshirt pocket, Ristau initially said she used the needle for insulin injections, but upon further questioning, Ristau allegedly admitted she injected heroin earlier in the day and took a prescription medication for heroin addiction, the report states.

An officer also allegedly located suspected heroin in Ristau's purse and empty heroin balloons littering her vehicle.

When a drug sniffing dog alerted on a green bag belonging to passenger Eric Augustus Segan, 24, deputies allegedly recovered marijuana, a new package of hypodermic needles and a spoon with burnt residue, indicative of paraphernalia commonly used to prepare heroin for injection.

Ristau's bail is set at $2,500.

Segan is being held on $1,864.