Extremely Intoxicated Woman Crashes Into Neighbor's Tree at Almost 4 TIMES LEGAL LIMIT

Around 6:28 PM on November 1, 2023, Corporal Daniel Parrish with the Washington Township Police Department (Morris County) responded to a motor vehicle accident involving a 2019 Honda on Parker Road. When he arrived on scene, he immediately made contact with the driver’s husband, who told him that his wife had crashed the vehicle into her neighbor’s tree and that she was heavily intoxicated. Her neighbor was also on scene, and he advised Corporal Parrish that he had called 911 after he noticed that someone had crashed into a tree on his property.

After speaking with her husband as well as their neighbor, Corporal Parrish made contact with the driver, who was identified as Laura. She told him that she swerved in an attempt to avoid hitting a deer. Sergeant James Burns arrived on scene shortly afterwards and the officers waited until her children were out of sight before attempting the field sobriety exercises.

Corporal Parrish started with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test, and he observed the lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation, and the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Laura almost fell over and the test had to be terminated. The last exercise was the One Leg Stand test, and Laura did not want to attempt this test.

Based on the motor vehicle crash, her admission to consuming alcohol, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Corporal Parrish placed Laura under arrest for driving under the influence. A search of her vehicle incident to arrest indicated the presence of an open container. After she was placed under arrest, her vehicle was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law. Corporal Parrish transported Laura to the Washington Township Police Department for further processing.

At police headquarters, Laura was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, and agreed to submit breath samples. Her Alcotest results indicated a BAC level of 0.30%, which was almost 4 times the legal limit of 0.08%. She was later released to her husband pending her court appearance after he signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Laura’s behalf. Laura was issued the following citations: Operating under the influence, reckless driving, traffic on marked lanes, and open container

Court records indicate that on March 21, 2024, Laura pleaded guilty to operating under the influence and the citation for reckless driving was downgraded to careless driving. As a result of her guilty pleas, Laura had to spend 48 hours at an intoxicated driver resource center, use an ignition interlock device for 3 months, and pay a total of $930 in fines. The other 2 citations were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

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