BUTLER TWP — State police said a woman falsely accused a trooper of inappropriately touching her during an impaired driving investigation following a traffic stop earlier this year in Center Township.

Lacey L. Vanwormer, 32, of Franklin was charged Monday with making false reports and unsworn falsification. The case was filed at the office of District Judge Kevin O'Donnell in Butler Township.

The charges, both misdemeanors, stem from an investigation by police and their Internal Affairs Division following Vanwormer's arrest March 8 for driving under the influence of a controlled substance. The arresting officer stopped Vanwormer for speeding on Mercer Road, and subsequently arrested her after she allegedly failed field sobriety tests.

Vanwormer contacted police a week later on March 15 saying she wanted to lodge a complaint against the trooper.

“Her complaint was that she was searched very roughly from the neck down causing bruises on her leg,” according to charging documents, “and that the trooper inappropriately touched her breasts, genitals and buttocks.”

Vanwormer claimed the misconduct occurred in front of the patrol car near the front bumper — after she was given the field sobriety tests.

According to investigators, a review of the recordings captured by the mobile video/audio recorder from the trooper's cruiser as well as a second patrol car belonging to assisting police cast doubt on Vanwormer's account.

“At no time,” documents said, “did the trooper or any of the assisting troopers search Vanwormer in front of the patrol car.”

In accordance with department policy, police notified the Internal Affairs Division, which conducted an investigation during which the defendant was interviewed.

Police said Vanwormer provided a four-page written statement and a tape-recorded statement.

In her statements, she described how the trooper allegedly patted her down roughly and touched her private parts. The pat-down search, she recounted, left bruises on her legs.

“In an attempt to validate her claim,” documents said, “Vanwormer provided pictures of her alleged injuries (to the IA investigator).”

The IA report was forwarded to the Butler County District Attorney's Office for review. The office issued a statement Oct. 18 absolving the trooper of any wrongdoing, police said.

In reviewing the defendant's statements and the MVR footage from the cruiser, documents said, the office determined there was no merit to her claims. The decision was also made to charge Vanwormer.

A preliminary hearing at O'Donnell's office was not immediately scheduled. Online court records did not indicate if Vanwormer has an attorney. She could not be reached for comment.

Records also showed her DUI case is pending in county court.