Drunk 18-Year-Old Woman TOTALS her Mom's Honda After a Breakup

Around 8:32 PM on January 8, 2024, Officer Michael Smith with the Washington Township Police Department (Morris County) responded to a motor vehicle accident involving a 2019 Honda Civic on Naughright Road. When he arrived on scene, he noticed that the Honda had split a telephone pole after striking it. The Honda had sustained severe front-end damages and there was airbag deployment inside the vehicle. He immediately made contact with the driver of the Honda, and he recognized her as Taylor because he had previously stopped her that evening.

Officer Cole Szymanski, Officer Scott Myers, Corporal Daniel Parrish, and Sergeant Kirk Griffin arrived on scene to assist shortly afterwards. Officer Szymanski asked Taylor to explain what happened, and she admitted that she was attempting to call her boyfriend after he had broken up with her earlier that day. She also stated that she was headed back home after driving towards her boyfriend’s house. As he was speaking with Taylor, he detected the odor of alcohol. However, field sobriety exercises were not administered because she appeared to be injured.

Based on the motor vehicle crash, the odor of alcohol, and her indicators of impairment, Taylor was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. A search of her vehicle incident to arrest indicated the presence a legal substance which could cause impairment if consumed before driving. After she was placed under arrest, her vehicle was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law. First responders with Long Valley First Aid transported Taylor to Morristown Medical Center for further evaluation.

Corporal Parrish obtained a warrant for a blood draw, and Officer Szymanski witnessed the drawing of her blood at the hospital. The sealed blood draw kit was later tested at the New Jersey State Police laboratory in East Hanover, and the results indicated a BAC level of 0.116% g/100mL. Once they were finished with the blood draw, Corporal Parrish and Officer Szymanski transported Taylor to the Washington Township Police Department for further processing.

At police headquarters, Taylor was read her Miranda rights but she declined to answer further questions. After the officers completed their paperwork, she was transported back to her residence and released to her mother after she signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Taylor’s behalf. Taylor was issued the following citations: Operating under the influence, operating under the influence underage, reckless driving, traffic on marked lanes, use of hand-held wireless telephones, and failure to wear seat belt

Court records indicate that on March 31, 2024, Taylor pleaded guilty to operating under the influence and use of hand-held wireless telephones. As a result of her guilty pleas, Taylor had to spend 12 hours at an intoxicated driver resource center, use an ignition interlock device for 3 months, and pay a total of $880 in fines. The other 4 citations were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

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