Drunk Woman Tries (and FAILS) to Hide her Vodka Bottle After Crashing into a Bridge

On May 11, 2024 around 6:05 AM, Patrolman Randy Yevchak with the West Milford Police Department was dispatched to a motor vehicle collision involving a 2011 Honda Accord at the Canistear Road Trestle. When he arrived on scene, he noticed that a tow truck was already there and that the vehicle had sustained severe front-end damages. There was airbag deployment inside the vehicle. The driver was identified as 21-year-old Alexis, and she informed Patrolman Yevchak that she struck the trestle on the driver side while she was headed south on Canistear Road towards State Route 23. As a result of this collision, the vehicle sustained disabling damages.

As he was speaking with Alexis, Patrolman Yevchak detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. He asked Alexis for her documents and returned to his patrol car to prepare a CrashDocs card for her. While he was seeking permission from his supervisor to authorize a courtesy transport for Alexis, he noticed that there was a bulge in her sweatshirt to indicate that she may be concealing something. A subsequent search of her persons revealed the presence of a 750 ml bottle of Smirnoff Vodka that was mostly empty. Based on his suspicion of impairment, Alexis was asked to perform field sobriety exercises.

Patrolman Yevchak started with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Patrolman Yevchak observed the lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation, and the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. Vertical gaze nystagmus was also observed, indicating a high level of impairment. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Alexis did not touch heel-to toe on each step and took an incorrect number of steps. The third exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand test, Alexis failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion and put her foot down multiple times before the test was complete. The final exercise was the Modified Romberg Balance Test, where she estimated the passage of 30 seconds in 33 seconds.

Based on the motor vehicle crash, the odor of alcohol, and her inability to perform the field sobriety exercises satisfactorily, Alexis was placed under arrest for operating under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded by for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law. Patrolman Yevchak placed her in handcuffs and initially transported her to the Bloomingdale Police Department because the Alcotest machine at the West Milford Police Department was not working properly.

At the Bloomingdale Police Department, the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators was read to her and she agreed to submit breath samples for testing. Her Alcotest results indicated a BAC level of 0.18%, which was more than double the legal limit of 0.08%. Once they finished processing her, Alexis was transported back to the West Milford Police Department for further processing. She was eventually released to her grandmother pending her court appearance after she signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Alexis’s behalf. Patrolman Yevchak issued her the following summonses: operating under the influence, reckless driving, traffic on marked lanes, and open container

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