Police Try to Help a Drunk Driver Avoid Jail

A stranger calls police after finding a woman stopped in the middle of the road and apparently unable to safely operate her vehicle. The caller moves the car out of traffic, takes the woman's keys, and waits for officers to arrive.

When police begin investigating, the woman appears confused about where she is and gives conflicting answers about where she had been. Officers also notice small bottles of Fireball whiskey inside the vehicle. She tells them she's dealing with a difficult housing situation and says she had previously been sober for several years.

Despite believing she had been driving while intoxicated, one officer initially considers giving her another option. He attempts to contact her parents, discusses having someone take responsibility for her, and tells her directly that he thinks she may benefit more from help than from immediately going to jail.

Then the encounter changes.

As officers continue their investigation and attempt to conduct field sobriety exercises, the possibility of letting her leave with family begins to disappear.

This video contains police bodycam footage with reaction and commentary for context, criticism, and discussion. Charges and allegations are not proof of guilt, and all individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.