An allegedly inebriated St. Croix woman speeding to a probation meeting for a negligent driving conviction earlier this month was arrested Friday after crashing into a parked car in the courthouse parking lot, according to court records posted Monday.
Police found Megan Nicole Smith sitting under a tree at the courthouse. Allegedly staggering and slurring her words, Smith told police she hadn’t realized she’d crashed her Ford Escape into a parked Dodge Caravan in the Superior Court parking lot because she had music playing too loudly. A deputy marshal who witnessed the crash said Smith had also nearly hit a Chrysler. The marshal had shouted for Smith to slow down and also to stop before hitting the other car while attempting to park at roughly 4 p.m. Friday, according to court records
Police asked if she’d been drinking that morning and Smith allegedly said she’d had a rum cocktail with brunch hours earlier. Police conducted three field sobriety tests and Smith allegedly failed them all. The probation officer noticed Smith was also in possession of a small Hennessy bottle and a plastic bottle containing colored liquid, which Smith allegedly confirmed was alcohol.
Smith, who initially denied hitting the other car, was rushing to the courthouse to make a scheduled probation hearing for her June 3 conviction of negligent driving, according to police. She had failed three field sobriety tests at 5:45 a.m. in September 2025 after swerving into an oncoming car. Driving under the influence charges had been dropped but Smith was required to remain alcohol free for six months and complete an alcohol education and safe driving course.
A records check Friday found Smith had a valid driver’s license but the car she was driving was uninsured and unregistered, according to court records.
Smith was charged with driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor, negligent driving, operating an unregistered vehicle, and operating an uninsured vehicle. She was released on $1,505 bail.
Smith faced similar charges in September 2022 after allegedly drunkenly crashing into several vehicles outside St. Croix’s Circle One Bar. People inside the bar said they initially mistook the “boom-boom-boom” and “bam, bam bam” noises for thunder. In January 2024, Smith pleaded guilty to intoxicated driving. Negligent driving charges were dropped.
