Woman With 0.05% BAC Arrested for DWI After Speeding 82 in a 55

Around 1:45 AM on October 9, 2023, Officer Michael Rodriguez with the Plainsboro Township Police Department was parked in front of the NJSP barracks on Route 1. He observed a 2014 Chevrolet sedan driving 82 MPH in a 55 MPH zone while headed southbound on Route 1. He initiated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop, and the driver eventually came to a stop on Route 1.

He made contact with the driver of the Chevy, who was identified as Anastasiya Shelekhovska. As he was speaking with Anastasiya, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Anastasiya told him that she was headed home after leaving her friend’s house in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Sergeant Timothy McMahon arrived on scene to assist shortly afterwards and detected the odor of alcohol from the driver’s side. Anastasiya eventually admitted to drinking sangria earlier that evening. Based on the officers’ suspicion of impairment, Anastasiya was asked to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises.

Sergeant McMahon started with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test, and he observed 4/6 indicator of impairment. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Anastasiya failed to touch heel-to-toe on each step, turned improperly, and failed to keep her arms at her sides. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand test, Anastasiya failed to raise her foot in the prior fashion and displayed a lack of balance.

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, Anastasiya was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. After she was placed under arrest and placed inside the patrol car, her vehicle was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law. Officer Rodriguez initially transported Anastasiya to the South Brunswick Police Department for the administration of the breathalyzer.

At the station, Anastasiya was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, and she agreed to submit breath samples. Officer Raymond McCarthy operated the machine. Her Alcotest results eventually indicated a BAC level of 0.05%, which was more than 0.00% but still under the legal limit of 0.08%. After the Alcotest was complete, she was transported back to the Plainsboro Township Police Department so they could finish their paperwork. After the officers finished processing her, she was released to a family member pending her court appearance after they signed the Potential Liability Warning on Anastasiya’s behalf.

She was issued the following citations:

-Operating under the influence

-Reckless driving

-Speeding

Court records indicate that on December 13, 2023, her citations for operating under the influence and speeding were dismissed. She did plead guilty to reckless driving though. As a result of her guilty plea, her license was revoked for 30 days and she had to pay a total of $240 in fines.

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

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.