Sioux Falls Woman Arrested for Sixth Drunk Driving Offense

A Sioux Falls woman is charged after police say she was stopped while driving on the sidewalk on South Cliff Avenue near 41st Street shortly after 6:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

Lieutenant Jerome Miller says an off-duty officer reported seeing a motorist who appeared to be intoxicated while driving south from 26th and Cliff:

Miller says 36-year-old Nicole Kroger of Sioux Falls was arrested for DWI, two counts of child abuse and endangerment, driving with a revoked license, open container, no insurance and no seat belt. Authorities say her blood-alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit for driving.

This was Kroger's sixth DUI offense.

According to the Associated Press, her husband, Kevin Kroger, says his wife suffers from alcohol addiction and needs help, not incarceration. He says she was sober for four years before the New Year's Eve incident.

The children were turned over to a legal guardian.

Nichole Kroger's last DUI was in 2009. She was sentenced to five years in prison and served two years before being paroled.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.