Drunk Woman Drives the Wrong Way on a Highway and Gets Arrested

Around 12:03 AM on April 11, 2026, Officer Nathan Howell with the Denville Township Police Department was conducting patrol from the Charlie Brown’s parking lot. He observed a white 2023 Nissan Rogue make a left turn from Savage Road onto Route 46 Eastbound. The driver continued driving eastbound in the westbound lanes. He activated his emergency lights as he headed eastbound on Route 46 and notified all the other units. Shortly afterwards, Sergeant Scott Tobin stopped the vehicle on Route 46 westbound near the Firestone Complete Auto Care (180 Route 46).

Sergeant Tobin and Officer Angel Tapia both made contact with the driver, who was identified as Lidia Alvarez-Torrentera. She claimed that she was headed back home to Paterson, but Officer Tapia told her that she was driving on the wrong side of the road. As he was speaking with Lidia, he observed indicators of impairment. Based on his suspicion of impairment, he asked Lidia to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises.

Officer Tapia started with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Officer Tapia 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, Lidia 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, Lidia 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, her admission to consuming alcohol earlier that evening, her indicators of impairment, and her inability to satisfactorily perform the field sobriety exercises, Lidia was placed under arrest for DWI. Her friend’s vehicle that she was driving was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law. Lidia was transported to the Denville Township Police Department for further processing, while Officer Tapia transported her friend to the lobby area of their station.

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 0.10%, which was above the legal limit of 0.08%. She also admitted to having two cocktails that consisted of a margarita and sangria while at El Asadero Mexican Grill in Rochelle Park, NJ. After the officers finished processing her, she was eventually released to Ananias U. Cornado-Ipanaque after he signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Lidia’s behalf.

Lidia was issued the following citations:

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

-Reckless driving (39:4-96)

-Careless driving (39:4-97)

-Wrong way on one-way street (39:4-85.1)

As of June 20, 2026, Lidia’s case is still pending before the Denville Township Municipal Court.

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