Woman Arrested for DWI After Car Crash in Hillsborough Township, NJ

Around 10:02 PM on October 16, 2023, Officer Allison Ricci with the Hillsborough Township Police Department responded to a motor vehicle crash involving a 2018 Ford Edge that had driven into a ditch. As she arrived on scene, it was apparent that the front passenger tire and wheel were missing. Her husband was also at the scene as the officers arrived. She made contact with the driver, identified as 40-year-old Dana, who was initially sleeping inside the passenger seat of the vehicle. Dana did not seem to recall how she crashed or where she was.

While Officer Ricci did not detect the odor of alcohol, she noticed that Dana’s speech was slurred and she exhibited other indicators of impairment. She denied consuming alcohol, but she did admit to taking prescription medications the previous day. Based on her suspicion of impairment, Officer Ricci asked Dana to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises.

The first exercise involved the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test, and Officer Ricci observed a lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation, and the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. Vertical Gaze Nystagmus (VGN) was also present. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Dana failed to touch heel-to-toe on each step and turned improperly. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test, and Dana failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion, displayed a lack of balance, and did not count as instructed.

Based on the motor vehicle accident, her admission to taking prescription medications, and her inability to adequately complete the field sobriety exercises, Officer Ricci placed Dana under arrest for driving under the influence. Her vehicle was searched and the officers found multiple prescription bottles, which were taken in as evidence. The vehicle was impounded for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law. Officer Ricci transported Dana to the Hillsborough Township Police Headquarters for further processing.

At police HQ, Dana was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, and she agreed to submit breath samples for testing. Her Alcotest results indicated a BAC of 0.00%. However, Patrolman LaBoy and Sergeant Martinez from the Franklin Township Police Department (DREs) were called in to evaluate her further. She provided a urine sample for further testing. The DRE report eventually indicated they believed she was under the influence of a prescription medication and unable to operate a vehicle safely.

Dana was eventually released to her husband after he signed the Potential Liability Warning Form on her behalf. She was issued the following summonses: Operating under the influence, operating under the influence underage, reckless driving, careless driving, unregistered vehicle, failure to possess driver’s license, and traffic on marked lanes

Court records indicate that on April 8, 2024, Dana pleaded guilty to operating under the influence and she was fined a total of $740. Her license was suspended for 7 months and she was required to spend 12 hours at an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center. The other 5 citations were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

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