Designated Driver Arrested for DUI After Initially Lying About Drinking

On January 26, 2025 at approximately 12:10 AM, Deputy Christopher Olin with the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office observed a 2017 Volkswagen Jetta fail to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of NE Merman Drive and NE Terre View Drive. He drove towards the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. The driver was identified as 21-year-old Daphne, and she told the Deputy that she was driving her passengers home from the bar as their designated driver.

As he was speaking with Daphne, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed indicators of impairment. He asked Daphne how much she had to drink, and she initially denied consuming alcohol. After she was asked to exit the vehicle, she admitted to drinking “just a little” alcohol earlier that evening but denied drinking excessively. Based on his suspicion of impairment, Daphne was asked to perform field sobriety exercises.

The first field sobriety exercise was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Deputy Olin observed 6/6 clues of impairment. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Daphne did not touch heel-to-toe on each step and turned improperly. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand test, Daphne failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion and put her foot down before the test was complete.

Following the field sobriety exercises, Daphne was offered the opportunity to submit to a PBT. The results of the PBT indicated a BAC level of 0.113%, which was more the legal limit of 0.08%. Based on her traffic infraction, the odor of alcohol, her inability to adequately complete the field sobriety exercises, and the results of the PBT, Daphne was placed under arrest for driving under the influence.

Deputy Olin initially transported her to the Pullman Police Department for further processing. At the Pullman Police Department, Daphne agreed to submit breath samples. Her first breath test results indicated a BAC level of IR 0.117 and EC 0.114, while her second breath test results indicated a BAC level of IR 0.119 and EC 0.118. After the Alcotest was administered, Deputy Olin transported Daphne to the Whitman County Jail where she was turned over to a Corrections Officer. Daphne was booked into the jail, cited for DUI (RCW 46.61.502), and eventually released pending her court appearance.

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