Arnold woman accused of driving drunk when child flew out of window as police chased SUV is ordered to stand trial

An Arnold woman accused of being drunk when she fled from police in an SUV and her 8-year-old child was ejected from the window has been ordered to stand trial.

Amanda Nicole Shaw, 30, of the 1900 block of Woodmont Avenue in Arnold waived her right to a preliminary hearing before District Judge Frank J. Pallone Jr.

Pallone ordered her to stand trial on felony counts of endangering the welfare of children, aggravated assault, DUI, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, flight to avoid apprehension and related charges.

Shaw was being detained in the Westmoreland County jail in lieu of a $10,000 cash bond to await a plea hearing scheduled in Westmoreland County Court on Oct. 11, court records show.

Investigators said Shaw didn’t have a driver’s license when she fled from them June 29 because it was suspended for a previous DUI.

Police wrote in a criminal complaint that Shaw was arrested at gunpoint after she drove to her home and then tried to run away.

The incident began when officers went to the area of Leishman Avenue and Drey Street just before 1 a.m. for a domestic dispute involving a woman trying to get another person to blow into an Intoxilyzer interlock system. Such interlock systems are designed to prevent people from being able to start a car if they’re drunk.

Police said they arrived to find an SUV in the middle of the 1900 block of Leishman Avenue. Officers identified the driver as Shaw, the complaint said.

Police said officers yelled at her to stop, but she drove around a patrol vehicle. Officers followed her up Drey Street, where she began to pick up speed.

As Shaw made a sharp left turn onto Dunn Alley, police said the child, who was unrestrained, fell out of the passenger side front window. An officer stopped to help the child while another continued to follow Shaw, the complaint said.

According to the complaint, Shaw pulled into the grass behind her home and tried to flee on foot. She was ordered to the ground at gunpoint and taken into custody, police said.