Police in New Jersey have charged a 50-year-old woman with DWI, endangering the welfare of a child, and several other offenses. According to Toms River police, a mother hired the woman to babysit her two-year-old son, and left the woman in her home at around 10 a.m. on August 1. Reports say that the mother returned home at around 2 p.m. and found the woman passed out on the floor due to intoxication. The 2-year-old was crying when the mother returned.
The woman facing charges left the house, got into her car and drove away. Shortly afterward, she hit a fire hydrant with her vehicle, according to reports. Police took her into custody, and she was detained at the Ocean County Jail. Testing apparently showed that she had a blood alcohol content three times over the legal limit.
If a person is driving with a blood alcohol content of more than .08 percent, they can face DWI charges. Penalties for a first-time DWI conviction in New Jersey can include a license suspension, jail time and stiff fines, and subsequent offenses might include longer penalties.
A person who is facing such charges has the right to dispute the allegations in court and may benefit from working with a criminal defense attorney. That attorney could help a client develop a strategy that seeks to mitigate penalties or pursues dropped charges. After reviewing the case and the available evidence, the attorney might be able to suggest steps that might lead to an acquittal, but if a conviction seems likely, he or she might try to negotiate a plea agreement for lesser sentencing.
Source: CBS, “NJ Nanny Gets DUI After Mother Finds Her Passed Out Near Crying Child“, Andrew Kramer, August 02, 2014
