A local woman was arrested Monday evening following a welfare check at Clymersville Baptist Church, where authorities say she was found slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle with suspected narcotics.

According to a report filed by Rockwood Police Sgt. Courtney Kerisven, officers responded to the church just before 6:00 p.m. Monday after receiving reports of a woman acting erratically and attempting to enter vehicles. Dispatch relayed that a detective on the scene reported the woman was “tweaking” and trying to get into a Volvo.

Officers arrived to find Mercedes D. Nichols inside the Volvo, slumped over the steering wheel. Authorities stated that Nichols admitted to using heroin earlier that morning.

A search of the vehicle yielded a needle, a pipe, and a cut straw, while a small amount of suspected heroin and an unprescribed gabapentin pill were recovered from Nichols’ clothing.

Nichols was taken into custody and transported to the Roane County Jail. She faces charges including public intoxication, drug possession, and possession of drug paraphernalia.