18-Year-Old Girl LIES After Getting Drunk at an NYC Bar

Around 10:38 PM on October 15, 2024, Patrolman Seth Summers with the Barnegat Township Police Department observed a grey 2012 Honda Civic tailgating another vehicle and swerving when driving northbound on North Main Street. He eventually activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop, and the driver pulled over on North Main Street in the vicinity of the Laurel Oaks Family Apartments. He then exited his patrol car to make contact with the driver, who was identified as 18-year-old Gina DeSiato.

As he was speaking with Gina, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. She told Patrolman Summers that her and her friend were coming from cosmetology school in New York City. She lied when he asked her whether or not she had anything to drink, and she would later admit that they had been at a bar. Based on his suspicion of impairment though, Patrolman Summers eventually asked Gina to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises after Patrolman Joel Sawyer arrived on scene.

Patrolman Sawyer started with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, he observed 4/6 indicators of impairment. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Gina failed to touch heel-to-toe on each step and turned improperly. The third exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand, Gina failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion and put her foot down multiple times before the test was complete.

Based on her erratic driving, the odor of alcohol inside the vehicle, and her inability to satisfactorily perform the field sobriety exercises, Gina was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law. Patrolman Dolan transported Gina to the Barnegat Township Police Department for further processing.

At the station, the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators was read to Gina, and she agreed to submit breath samples. Gina’s Alcotest results indicated a BAC level of 0.091%, which was significantly over the legal limit of 0.01% for drivers under 21 years of age. After the officers were finished with processing Gina, she eventually released to her step-mohter pending her court appearance after she signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Gina’s behalf.

She was issued the following citations:

-Operating under the influence (39:4-50)

-Reckless driving (39:4-96)

-Careless driving (39:4-97)

-Traffic on marked lanes – unsafe lane change (39:4-88B)

-Following too closely (39:4-89)

As of March 28, 2026, Gina’s case is still pending in the Barnegat Township Municipal Court.

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