Drunk Girl With a Minibar in her Car Blows TRIPLE THE LIMIT

Around 10:43 PM on July 26, 2024, Officer Megan Prager with the Hanover Township Police Department observed a black 2018 Audi make an illegal U-turn from Route 10 East to Route 10 West at the intersection of South Jefferson Road. There was signage indicating that left turns and U-turns were not permitted at that intersection. She began following the vehicle and eventually activated her emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. The driver pulled over on Route 10 West just after the on ramp to Route 287. She made contact with the driver of the Audi, who was later identified as Samantha Eristavi.

Samantha said that she was coming from “Asbury” and thought that she was on the Garden State Parkway. She claimed that she was following her GPS to get back home to Somerville. She seemed to have trouble locating her documents, and Officer Prager noticed that she tried to hide an open High Noon container. After Officers Dalgauer and Hine arrived on scene to assist, Samantha was asked to perform field sobriety exercises.

The first exercise was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Officer Prager observed 6/6 indicators of improvement, along with vertical gaze nystagmus. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Samantha failed to 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, Samantha failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion and put her foot down multiple times before the test was complete.

Based on her indicators of impairment, the odor of alcohol, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Samantha was placed under arrest for DWI. A search of her vehicle incident to arrest yielded the presence of multiple open containers. Her vehicle was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law. The Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators was read to her at the side of the road, and she agreed to submit breath samples.

Officer Prager then transported Samantha to the nearby Parsippany Police Department for the administration of the breath test. Her Alcotest results indicated a BAC level of 0.24%, which was triple the legal limit of 0.08%. Samantha was then transported to the Hanover Township Police Department for further processing. After they finished processing her, Samantha was released to her father pending her court appearance after he signed the Potential Liability Warning form on her behalf.

Officer Prager issued Samantha the following citations:

-Operating under the influence

-Reckless driving

-Careless driving

-Traffic on marked lanes (39:4-88)

-Improper U-turn (39:4-125)

-Failure to possess driver insurance card (39:3-29C)

-Driving an unregistered motor vehicle (39:3-4)

-Obstructing passage of other vehicles (39:4-67)

-Open container (39:4-51B)

On September 13, 2024, Samantha pleaded guilty to operating under the influence, obstructing passage of other vehicles, and open container. As a result of her convictions, Samantha had to spend 12 hours at an intoxicated driver resource center, use an ignition interlock device for 1 year, and pay a total of $1,270 in fines. The other 6 citations were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Samantha has previously been arrested for DWI in Hillsborough Township, NJ on November 20, 2018.

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