Drunk Girl Falls Asleep at the Wheel With a Bottle of Tequila

Her Sister’s Arrest

Around 1:50 AM on October 12, 2024, Officer Justin Mekhail with the Deptford Township Police Department was dispatched to the area of 2167 Delsea Drive on a report of a suspicious motor vehicle. He arrived on scene and noticed that a female was asleep behind the wheel of a white 2023 Kia Soul that had pulled over on the side of the road. He noticed that there was a bottle of Don Julio tequila on the front passenger seat that was half empty.

Officer Brittany VanArsdale arrived on scene shortly afterwards and awakened the female by knocking on the diver side window. The driver awakened and she was asked to exit the vehicle. She was eventually identified as 24-year-old Francesca Blanton, and she claimed that she was coming from Camden and heading back home to Williamstown.

Based on the officers' suspicion of impairment, Officer Bryan Grant was called to the scene to administer field sobriety exercises. Her poor performance on the field sobriety exercises confirmed the officers' suspicions of impairment, and she was placed under arrest for operating under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John's Law. Officer Mekhail transported Francesca to the station for further processing.

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 0.09%, which was above the legal limit of 0.08%. After the officers finished processing her, she was eventually released to Donya Douglas pending her court appearance after she signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Francesca's behalf.

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