Nurse Arrested for DWI after Crashing into a Tree on New Year’s Day

Around 2:26 AM on January 1, 2023 (New Year’s Day), Old Bridge Police were called to the site of a motor vehicle crash on Ticetown Road. Upon approaching the scene, Officer Annuzzi observed that a 2016 Honda CR-V was obstructing the road. There was heavy front end damage and the airbags were deployed. The driver, 34-year-old Stephanie Chen, was asked whether she had been drinking earlier. She admitted to consuming alcohol earlier that night, but seemed unaware of where she was or what had just transpired.

EMTs were dispatched to the scene, but Stephanie declined medical attention. Once she was cleared by the EMTs, the officer afforded Stephanie an opportunity to perform field sobriety exercises. The first test involved the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. The officer observed a lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes, distinct and sustained nystagmus in both eyes, and onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During this exercise, Stephanie was unable to maintain her balance. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand test, Stephanie raised her legs more than 6 inches and she was unable to complete the test satisfactorily.

Based on her admission to consuming alcohol earlier at the Watermark in Asbury Park, her slurred speech, and inability to perform the field sobriety exercises, Stephanie was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. Officer Annuzzi transported her to Old Bridge Police HQ. At police HQ, Stephanie refused to answer when she was asked if she would submit to a breathalyzer test. Once she was processed at police HQ, she was released to her mother after she signed the Potential Liability Warning form on her behalf. She was issued the following summonses: Operating under the influence, reckless driving, failure to report an accident, traffic on marked lanes, no liability insurance coverage, failure to wear a seat belt, consent to take samples of breath, and refusal to submit to chemical test.

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