Drunk 18-Year-Old Girl Drives on the Sidewalk at Rowan University

Around 2:17 AM on September 7, 2023, Officer Kyle Lehm with the Rowan University Police Department observed a gray 2004 Toyota Avalon going westbound on Route 322 at a slow rate of speed before swerving across lanes near Savitz Hall at Rowan University. As he began following the vehicle, he observed the driver again fail to maintain her lane in the area of Westby Hall, before turning onto Rowan University property between Westby Hall and Science Hall. The driver then turned onto Meditation Walk and started driving on the sidewalk.

Officer Lehm eventually activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop on Meditation Walk, and the driver pulled over. He exited his patrol car and made contact with the driver, who was identified as 18-year-old Brielle Wojcik. As he was speaking with Brielle, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. There was an open bottle of wine inside the vehicle, and none of the occupants were wearing seat belts. Based on his suspicion of impairment, Brielle was eventually asked to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises after Officer Russell Carmolingo arrived on scene to assist.

Brielle’s poor performance on the field sobriety exercises confirmed the officers’ suspicion of impairment. She also admitted to consuming alcohol earlier that evening. Based on her traffic infractions, the odor of alcohol, the open container inside the vehicle, her admission to consuming alcohol earlier that evening, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Officer Lehm placed Brielle under arrest for driving under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law.

Brielle was transported to the Rowan University Police Department (RUPD) for the administration of the breath test. At the Rowan University Police Department, Brielle was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, and she agreed to submit breath samples. Before the breath test was administered, she agreed to an interview and admitted to consuming a high alcoholic content Twisted Light and chasing it with a Tito’s Vodka shot. Her Alcotest results indicated a BAC level of 0.08%, which was significantly higher than the legal limit of 0.01% for drivers under the age of 21. She was eventually released to a sober adult pending her court appearance after she signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Brielle’s behalf.

Officer Lehm issued Brielle the following traffic citations:

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

-Operating under the influence underage (39:4-50.14)

-Reckless driving (39:4-96)

-Improper driving on sidewalk (39:4-71)

-Failure to maintain lane (39:4-88)

-Failure to wear seat belt (39:3-76.2F)

-Open container (39:4-51b)

On January 25, 2024, Brielle pleaded guilty to operating under the influence underage, while the other 6 citations were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. As a result of her guilty plea, Brielle had to spend 12 hours at an intoxicated driver resource center and perform 60 days of community service. Her license was also revoked for 45 days.

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

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.