Drunk Woman Arrested for DWI After Hit-and-Run Crash on the Highway

Around 12:52 AM on August 28, 2022, Patrolmen Lampros Nicos and Arthur Ohlsen with the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department were dispatched to an apartment complex on a report of a driver who had fled from a hit-and-run crash. Patrolman Nicos made contact with the driver of a blue Honda 2-door. She informed him that her vehicle was struck by the Volkswagen on the Route 287 ramp to Littleton Road. Since the vehicle did not stop, she followed the driver all the way back to her apartment complex in Parsippany.

Patrolman Nicos also located the driver of the other vehicle nearby because she had just exited her vehicle. She was identified as 28-year-old Fiorella Vidal. He asked her where she was coming from, and whether she had hit the Honda. Fiorella claimed that she was coming home from Jersey City, but could not recall whether or not she had actually hit the vehicle. She also admitted to consuming alcohol earlier that evening. An examination of her 2020 Volkswagen bumper indicated fresh damages consistent with striking the other driver’s Honda.

The State Police were asked to come on scene and take down the Motor Vehicle Accident report, since they have jurisdiction over the highway. However, they declined to respond so the Parsippany Police decided to make a note of what happened in their own incident report instead. As Patrolman Ohlsen went to speak with Fiorella, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Based on his suspicion of impairment, Fiorella was asked to perform field sobriety exercises.

The first exercise was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Patrolman Ohlsen observed the lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation, and the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Fiorella failed to touch heel-to-toe on each step, turned improperly, and took an incorrect number of steps. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test, and Fiorella failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion while putting her foot down before the test was complete.

Based on the motor vehicle accident, the odor of alcohol, her admission to consuming alcohol, and her inability to adequately complete the field sobriety exercises, Fiorella was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated. Her vehicle was impounded for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law.

At the station, the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators was read to her, and she agreed to submit breath samples. Her Alcotest results indicated a BAC level of 0.11%, which was over the legal limit of 0.08%. She was eventually released to her friend Kenneth after he signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Fiorella’s behalf.

Fiorella was issued the following traffic tickets:

-Operating under the influence

-Reckless driving

Court records indicate that on October 31, 2023, the citation for operating under the influence was dismissed, while she pleaded guilty to Reckless Driving. As a result of her guilty plea, her license was revoked for 90 days and she had to pay a total of $240 in fines.

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