The Defendant was found passed out in her own vomit inside her car. The car was in a parking lot, but was in a travel lane in which a person would try to find a parking space and was on an angle. The car’s lights were on and the engine was running, but was in park. The officer repeatedly knocked on the car’s window in an effort to wake the Defendant. Eventually, the officer, concerned for the Defendant’s well being, opened the car door and smelled the pungent smell of alcohol saw the Defendant’s vomit all over the driver’s area of the car. The Defendant’s head was resting against the steering wheel; her feet were on the floor of the car; her hands were hanging by her sides and she was clearly passed out due to alcohol. The officer removed the keys from the vehicle and called for BSO Task Force. The DUI investigator made the exact same observations as the first responding officer in addition to those of slurred incoherent speech; disorientation to place and time and extreme unsteadiness. The Defendant was asked out of the vehicle and was extremely unsteady on her feet. The Defendant told the DUI investigator that she was in Delray Beach even though she was in Fort Lauderdale. The Defendant admitted to consuming vodka drinks and had no idea how she even arrived at that location. The Defendant was then asked to perform roadside sobriety exercises, but could not come close to doing them due to the degree of her impairment. The exercises were stopped and the Defendant was arrested for DUI. The Defendant then refused a breath test. The Defendant was found NOT GUILTY after a two day jury trial.
DUI & Criminal Division
