The newly ordained female Episcopal bishop who fatally hit a bicyclist in Baltimore on Saturday had been previously charged with drunken driving and marijuana possession in 2010, according to court documents.

Bishop Heather Cook, the first female bishop and second-ranking leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, was behind the wheel of a car that killed 41-year-old Tom Palermo last Saturday in an apparent hit-and-run.

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The driver of the car left the scene and returned later, the police said in a statement without identifying Cook.

While the police declined to describe the circumstances relating to Saturday's fatal accident pending the investigation, records show that Cook had been previously charged with drunken driving and possession of marijuana in 2010.    

On Sept.10, 2010, a Caroline County deputy reported stopping Cook while she was driving on the shoulder with a shredded tire. He noticed Cook with vomit down the front of her shirt while the inside of the car reeked of alcohol. Cook's blood alcohol content was at 0.27 percent while Maryland's legal limit is at 0.08 percent.

Along with a bottle of wine and a bottle of liquor, the deputy reported finding two small bags of marijuana and paraphernalia.

After pleading guilty to drunken driving, the marijuana possession charges were dropped. Cook was eventually cleared when the judge sentenced her to a fine and "probation before judgment" on the charge, provided she kept out of trouble.

A witness of Saturday's crash said he came upon the scene with Palermo lying on the ground with the car that hit him nowhere in sight. Passing bicyclist Moncure Lyon said he found the victim without a pulse. The wheels of the latter's bike were already knocked off and were severely smashed, he added.

Based on descriptions from other witnesses, Lyon said he found the car with a smashed windshield a hundred yards away near a stop light.

"I asked the lady who was driving, 'Are you all right?' Then the light turned green, she said 'Yes,' and she left," said Lyon.

In an email to clergy members, Diocesan Bishop Eugene Sutton confirmed the police statement that Cook returned 20 minutes later to face the consequences of her actions. Sutton said Cook is on administrative leave while her attorney on Monday said Cook was questioned by police but wasn't arrested.

Family and friends describe Palermo as a loving husband and dedicated father. He was well-known in the biking community for his custom-made bike frames.

TagsEpiscopal bishop, Heather Cook, hit and run, Baltimore, tom palermo, bicyclist, marijuana