Police make traffic stop that leads to drunk driving charge

Driving while under the influence is a serious crime. In New Jersey, drunk driving can lead to loss of license, jail time and other negative results. It often is the cause of accidental injuries, property damage, and loss of life.

In one recent case, the consequences for a female driver may also include a degree of embarrassment. It is alleged that not only was she engaged in drunk driving, but was also operating her vehicle while almost totally naked. After Sparta, New Jersey police received a report of a car ramming a retaining wall and leaving the scene, one officer stopped the woman’s vehicle. He reports that he observed her dressed in an unzipped jacket and nothing else, with her clothing strewn inside the car.

When he asked her to get dressed, she put her dress on inside-out. On further questioning, he reports that she had symptoms of slurred speech, confusion, disorientation and inability to keep her balance. She reportedly suffered memory loss and did not remember an accident or where she was going. She was charged with several offenses, including failing to give a breath test, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident.

Although many who are accused will be well-advised to plead guilty in the face of overwhelming evidence, there are instances where the evidence may be insufficient to sustain a prosecution for driving while intoxicated. There are numerous reasons why a DWI charge may not hold up. For example, one issue that can arise is whether there was probable cause to stop the car in the first place.

A DWI defense in New Jersey requires a thorough examination of all of the details of the driver’s activities prior to the incident. This will include the number, nature and place of all alcoholic drinks consumed. The driver charged with drunk driving must be prepared to provide a detailed time line leading up to the arrest and should be able to communicate the other surrounding circumstances. Based on all of the facts, an evaluation of what plea to enter can then be made.

Source: JD Journal, “New Jersey Woman Arrested for DWI; Naked Upon Officer Arrival,” Jan. 22, 2013