Mother was under the influence when she reportedly drove over her 7-year-old son’s thigh, police say

A 46-year-old woman was arrested Saturday after driving over her 7-year-old son’s thigh in a Ralphs supermarket parking lot while under the influence of alcohol, police said.

Shortly before 5 p.m., Sharla Joseph was leaving the Glendale grocery store, located at 1200 N. Central Ave., when she got into an argument with her two boys for misbehaving, according to Glendale Police Sgt. Robert William. She reportedly got into the car, alone, after threatening to leave them behind.

The boys clung to the door handles as Joseph started the car. When she moved the car, the 7-year-old reportedly fell to the ground, after which the car tire rolled over his thigh.

The boy was bruised but mostly uninjured, William said, however “you could see the tread marks of the tire over his thigh.”

Police responded to the scene, where they smelled alcohol on Joseph’s breath. She subsequently performed “poorly” on a field sobriety test and refused a chemical test, William said.

Joseph was charged Tuesday with two counts of child abuse and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office. She was being held in lieu of $200,000 bail.

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Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com

Twitter: @atchek