Drunk Woman Speeds Like a Maniac Before DWI Arrest

Around 2:40 AM on January 19, 2024, Officer Michael Turner with the Guttenberg Police Department observed a 2009 Ford speeding about 60 MPH in a 35 MPH zone on River Road near the intersection with Lydia Drive. He started pursuing the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop at 60th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard East. He exited his patrol car and made contact with the driver of the vehicle, who was identified as 26-year-old Laiba Shah. The driver admitted to consuming 2 drinks at a bar in Brooklyn earlier that evening. Based on his suspicion of impairment, she was asked to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises after Officer Jasmine Erazo and Sergeant Aleksandr Ramadanovic arrived on scene to assist.

The first field sobriety exercise was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Officer Turner observed 4/6 indicators of impairment. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Laiba 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, Laiba failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion.

Based on her excessive speeding, the odor of alcohol, her admission to consuming alcohol earlier that evening, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Laiba was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law. Another officer transported Laiba to the Guttenberg Police Department for further processing.

Laiba was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators at the station, but she refused to submit breath samples. Laiba was issued the following citations: Operating under the influence, refusal to submit to chemical test, reckless driving, careless driving, and unsafe operation of a vehicle

----------------------------------------------

Please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and consider supporting this channel (email us for more information). Our content is shared for educational and news gathering purposes. We are in compliance with YouTube's Fair Use Policy because we edit several long clips into a concise story. This is similar to other law enforcement channels on YouTube. All videos and case documents were obtained pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. (P.L. 2024, c.16). Defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.

The New Jersey Supreme Court has previously affirmed in Salzano v. North Jersey Media Group, 993 A.2d 778 (2010) that “The fair-report privilege reflects the judgment that the need, in a self-governing society, for free-flowing information about matters of public interest outweighs concerns over the uncompensated injury to a person's reputation.” This video advances a compelling public interest. The summary of events was based on records that are “open to public view through open access to public records” as defined in the Salzano case. In Ramos v. Flowers, 429 N.J. Super. 13, the Appellate Division of the Superior Court has also affirmed the right to film law enforcement interactions.