A 26-year-old Cornish woman who was arrested in April after a state trooper clocked her driving 124 mph on the Maine Turnpike with her two young children in the car was sentenced to six months in jail Monday, three weeks after another arrest under similar circumstances.

Cheryl Gilson, who lists her address as Roland Day Road, was sentenced Monday in Portland District Court, just three weeks after her arrest in Scarborough on operating under the influence and other charges.

Officials at the Cumberland County Jail in Portland said Tuesday night that Gilson has begun serving a 180-day sentence after pleading guilty to driving to endanger, endangering the welfare of a child, and driving more than 35 mph over the speed limit – charges from her arrest in April.

State police said Gilson’s children, ages 3 and 5, were inside her car, but not secured in car seats, on the afternoon of April 6 when they stopped her after she was clocked driving 124 mph on the Maine Turnpike.

“It’s seriously negligent,” state Trooper Roger Teachout told the Portland Press Herald in an interview. “Those children were in serious jeopardy of being killed or seriously injured.”

Teachout said he first saw Gilson speeding north on the turnpike in Saco around 2 p.m. She was driving a 2009 Hyundai Sonata and started weaving and tailgating other vehicles, he said.

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After following her for several miles, Teachout pulled her over at the Exit 47 off-ramp in Portland. Three men, all of whom had suspended driver’s licenses, were also in the car.

Teachout said Gilson did not seem to understand why she was being arrested and declined to say where she was going in such a hurry.

On the afternoon of July 13, Scarborough Police officer Melissa DiClemente stopped Gilson on Route 1, near Willowdale Road, Scarborough Police Chief Robert Moulton said Tuesday night.

“We had a report of erratic operation,” Moulton said.

Also inside the car were two adults and a 6-year-old girl. Moulton said it is unclear whether the girl was related to Gilson.

Gilson was charged with violating her conditions of bail, endangering the welfare of a child and operating under the influence. Moulton said police provided the adults in the car with a child car seat and they were allowed to leave. He does not know what happened to Gilson after she was taken to the Cumberland County Jail.

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In her arrest mugshot, which was posted on the Scarborough Police Facebook page, Gilson is shown with tears streaming down the side of her face.

The Portland Press Herald found that Gilson, who previously went by the name Cheryl Stone – she refers to herself as Cheryl Stonee on her Facebook page – has an extensive driving record that includes speeding, driving with a suspended license, driving under the influence, and being found at fault in two motor vehicle accidents.

Her driver’s license was suspended 2006 and revoked in 2007. Her right to drive was restored in 2010 and she had no violations through 2011.

But in 2012, she was ticketed for driving 87 mph in a 65 mph zone.

Gilson has no criminal record except for the drunken driving charge, which occurred in 2006, according to the State Bureau of Identification.

Cumberland County District Attorney Stephanie Anderson could not be reached Tuesday night for comment.


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