Drunk Mom Crashes With her Baby and 7-Year-Old Child

Around 8:23 PM on June 3, 2025, Patrolwoman Susan Asali, Patrolman Rui Pinto, Patrolman Brandonlee Feliciano, and Sergeant Grover Lewis with the Belleville Police Department were dispatched to the intersection of Mill Street and Union Avenue after a 911 caller reported a multi-vehicle crash involving juveniles. Patrolwoman Asali arrived on scene and first made contact with a 7-year-old child, who informed her that his mother had crashed with him and his baby brother inside the car. The baby had not been properly secured in the car seat at the time of the crash.

Patrolwoman Asali noticed that a gray 2006 Volkswagen Jetta had apparently struck a 2012 Nissan Rogue and 2006 Acura MDX. She made contact with the driver of the Jetta, who was later identified as Iris Ramos. As she was speaking with Iris, she observed indicators of impairment. Iris was asked to perform field sobriety exercises, and her poor performance on the field sobriety exercises confirmed the officers’ suspicion of impairment.

Based on the motor vehicle crash, her indicators of impairment, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Iris was placed under arrest for DWI. Her vehicle was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law, while the officers transported Iris to the Belleville Police Department for further processing. Her 7-year-old son and baby were both turned over to a sober relative at the scene of the crash.

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 0.11%, which was above the legal limit of 0.08%. After they finished processing Iris, she was advised of her charges and booked into the Essex County Correctional Facility. She was later released from the jail on June 4, 2025 pending her court appearance.

Patrolwoman Asali issued Iris the following traffic tickets:

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

-Failure to secure a child in a booster seat (39:3-76.2A(D))

-Failure to report an accident (39:4-130)

-Leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage (39:6B-2)

-Reckless driving (39:4-96)

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

-Failure to possess driver license (39:3-29A)

-Failure to possess driver registration (39:3-29B)

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

-Driving without a license (39:3-10)

-Driving with a suspended license (39:3-40)

-No liability insurance coverage on motor vehicle (39:6B-2)

She was also criminally charged with 2 counts of endangering a child (2C:24-4A(2))

Court records indicate that on October 27, 2025, Iris was found guilty of operating under the influence. As a result of her conviction, she had to use an ignition interlock device for 7 months, spend 12 hours at an intoxicated driver resource center, and pay a total of $683 in fines. Her criminal charges of child endangerment were downgraded to a petty disorderly persons offense (2C:33-2A(1)) by Judge Philip Degnan in the Superior Court and she had to pay a total of $125 in fines. The other 11 traffic citations were also dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Iris has previously been cited for driving without a license on the following instances:

-Newark, NJ on April 28, 2025

-Union Township, NJ on March 10, 2025

-Newark, NJ on December 17, 2024

-Belleville, NJ on October 31, 2024

-East Orange, NJ on September 14, 2024

-East Orange, NJ on June 5, 2024

-Far Hills, NJ on September 22, 2009

Her prior arrests include the following:

-Obstruction (2C:29-1A) and resisting arrest (2C:29-2A(3)(A)) in Newark, NJ on April 7, 2015

-Shoplifting (2C:20-11B(2)) in Millburn Township, NJ on October 5, 2009

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