Drunk Woman Eludes Cops After Leaving Bar and Gets Arrested for DWI

Around 10:23 PM on October 24, 2024, Officer Shane Miller with the Ewing Township Police Department responded to a report of an intoxicated female who had left the Firkin Tavern in a white Jeep. In the area of Slocum’s Bowling Alley, he observed a white Jeep matching the caller’s description driving southbound on Pennington Road. He activated his lights to initiate a traffic stop as the vehicle was swerving, and the vehicle initially stopped at the intersection with Olden Avenue. He exited his vehicle to make contact, but the driver attempted to flee the scene. After a brief pursuit, the driver pulled over the parking lot of the Taco Bell parking lot at 1760 Olden Avenue.

The officers immediately made contact with the driver, who was identified as Victoria. They instructed her to exit the vehicle. Victoria told Officer Miller that she was trying to go home after leaving work. As he was speaking with Victoria, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Based on the officers’ suspicion of impairment, Victoria was asked to perform field sobriety exercises.

Lieutenant Richard Herbe started with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test, but she was unable to complete the test. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand test, Victoria failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion and almost fell multiple times.

Based on her traffic infraction, the odor of alcohol, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Officer Martin placed Victoria under arrest for driving under the influence. After she was placed under arrest, her vehicle was impounded by for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law. Officer Martin transported Victoria to the Ewing Townshipo Police Department for further processing.

At the Ewing Township Townshiop Police Department, Victoria was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, but she refused to submit breath samples. When the officers were finished with processing her, Victoria was released to her brother pending her court appearance after he signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Victoria’s behalf.

Victoria was issued the following traffic citations:

-Operating under the influence

-Refusal to submit to chemical testing

-Reckless driving

-Careless driving

-Traffic on marked lanes.

Victoria was also criminally charged with eluding under 2C:29-2B

Court records indicate that on April 16, 2020, Victoria had previously been arrested for DWI in Ewing Township.

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