On a beautiful evening, what seemed like a minor swerve sent the car into the median and brought everything to a chaotic stop. When officers arrived, the young driver confirmed she was behind the wheel saying it all happened too fast and she still didn't understand what made the vehicle lose control. But within just a few moments, an officer noticed slowed speech, unsteady balance, and a faint smell of alcohol shifting the response from a routine crash to a DUI investigation. This body cam footage captures what happened next from her initial explanation and the field sobriety tests to the officer's final decision. Hello. Who was driving? I was driving. Do you have your license and registration for me? >> Yeah, it's in the car, but like I hit the median and like I don't know what happened. Like Okay. Can you get me the Yeah. Can you bring your license out for me? >> Where is my small voice at? Can I use your flashlight, please, to go get >> Yeah. Where is it? Is it on the other side or I just kind of kicked some of the stuff out of the wrong side. I was pretty sure it was going to flip over. I didn't see it. >> Yeah. Okay. >> in the white truck. Yes. Was that one involved? No, sir. Here, he just like braked dramatically that I didn't under- I didn't see it and like he he like braked really like fastly that I didn't understand like why he drove like he drives like he like he went like on brake like really fast and I didn't understand why. Okay. Do you have the registration? Yeah. Do you need any medical attention? I just feel like I hit my legs and my feet really hard and my arms, but I don't think I need any medic- like medical like anything like Okay. I just feel like I'm bruised, but >> Can you get your uh, registration for me? Yeah. All There was no other vehicle involved, right? No, there was no other car. Okay. Okay. So, you basically What did you say happened? Okay, so like really we just hit the medium and then we went to the side because a car started braking so fastly that I couldn't understand like what he was doing. He started braking and I was like trying to brake at the at the same time and then I went to the side because I didn't know he was doing like the the the road was so freely that I just I don't know what he was doing. Okay. All right. Uh Let's go over here. Is that Are those your shoes? Oh, all right. What Where were you coming from? Um I was coming from the movie theaters. Okay, cuz the way you're talking to me I can smell some alcohol on you. Yeah, I had a a little bit of alcohol, but I'm not like really tipsy. Okay. Like I feel like I'm capable of walking and I'm capable >> So, how many a little bit of alcohol? How much is that? I had a Twisted Tea. A Twisted Tea, just one? Yeah, just one. Uh how How many ounces was it? It was a small can and it was like a peach tea. A peach tea? Yeah, and I didn't even finish it all. >> Okay. So, like I said, the you know, I could smell it on you. Okay. I I I'm not going to lie to you. I did have a little bit of it and I didn't finish the whole can, so that's why I thought I was capable of driving. Okay. And That's fine. I mean So, based on all that, would you be able to Would you be willing to submit to the field sobriety test to make sure that >> I'm willing to do that. >> Yeah. Okay. Did Can I give somebody my keys? >> I just don't know if she needs to be seen. Do you need Do you need checked out or no? Um I hurt my leg a little bit, but like Do you want your vitals checked or anything? >> mom? I just want I just feel a little bit Do you feel okay? You don't want us to check your vitals? Yeah, no. I feel fine, but like I I didn't want Yeah, you've got >> got my nails done. All right. So, then he's going to You're going to talk to him and tell him what he needs to do. Okay. All right. Let me just go and talk to you real quick. Uh give me a second. You're You're Ambrey, right? >> So, you want to talk to me over here real quick? No. So, I already talked to Ambrey. Ambrey, right? >> Yes. Um I can smell alcohol on you. She told me that she did drink a Twisted Tea. Um Although she's talking to me, a little bit of slurred speech. She's wobbling a little, so I'm basically just doing some field sobriety tests to make sure that she's able to drive. Um and then we'll go from there. Can you just want to go and wait for me over here? All right, Ambrey. So, like I said, I smell some alcohol on you. I could tell you're a little You're drunk You drank something. You told me you drank something. So, are you willing to submit to a field sobriety test? Yes. Yes. All righty. Well, come over here. Yes. Over here on this side of your vehicle. Give me a second. Let me get a Okay, wait. That's my aunt, and I understand that like I might have a drink, but like I'm not drunk. All right, and I didn't say you're drunk. I could just smell it. Like you can smell alcohol on me because I took a shot, but like I understand >> So, you You drank that Twisted Tea and a shot? No, I took a Twisted Tea, but like I understand that like there's a certain amount that you can drink and that you can't drink to consider it that like you are drunk enough, but like I don't think that I'm drunk. >> Okay. So, that's that's why I'm going to do these uh field sobriety tests to make sure that you're good to drive home, okay? Okay. Thank you. All right. So, do you wear any glasses or contacts? I don't wear any glasses. >> Okay. Any head injury or anything like that? No. No. Okay. So, for this test, I'm going to need you to put your arms together. Feet down at your side. And you're going to stay in this position until I tell you otherwise, okay? You're going to follow the tip of my pen with your eyes and your eyes only, okay? Don't move your head sideways or anything. Just follow the tip of my pen with your eyes, okay? You don't have to do anything. All right, that's good. Okay. So, just You can stay right there. Okay. So, for this next test, I'm going to need you to put your feet together. Hold on. You could do it without your sandals if that bothers you. >> Cuz they're a little bit like Yeah, you could do it without your sandals. That's fine. So, for this next test, uh I'm going to need you to put your feet together, arms down at your side. I'm going to need you to imagine a straight line coming out from your left foot. Go and put your left foot on that line. I need you to put I need [clears throat] you to put your right foot in front of your left foot with the heel touching your toes like that, and arms down at your side. Like this? No, no. Just put your foot down. Sorry. I don't >> Yeah. Put your left foot on that line. And then your right foot in front. And then don't don't start anything. Just Wait, I'm just confused. >> Yeah. Like so you want >> So, just put your left foot down, your right foot in front of it. So, you want me to put my left foot down? >> And then your right foot in front. Don't move. Stay like that, and then put your arms down at your side. Okay? You're going to stay in this position >> Make sure it's touching heel to toe. Yeah, touch your heel to toe. There you go. You have to We have to be touching heel to toe. There you There you go. Yeah. Arms down at your side. You're going to stay in this position until I tell you to begin, okay? Okay. When I >> When you tell me to begin, you want me to put my Yeah. So, I'm going to explain all the instructions, and then if you have any questions, you can go ahead and ask me, okay? Okay. So, yeah. So, like this? Make sure your heel is touching your toes. Like this? There you go. Sorry, I'm so just confused. >> You're okay. Like you want me to put my Yeah, put your Yeah, put your left foot down and your right foot in front like that. Arms down on your side. Arms down on your side and stay like that until I tell you to begin, okay? When I tell you to begin you're going to take nine heel-to-toe steps on that imaginary line. Okay, so you want me to put nine like back and forth like You're going to stay like I told you to. Sorry. And then you're going to take When I say begin, you're going to take nine heel-to-toe steps on your imaginary line, okay? Whenever you hit your ninth step you're going to leave your front foot down and you're going to take a series of small steps to turn back around and face your imaginary line. >> Okay, you want me to go nine and then you want me to turn and go nine again? >> Yeah, and then once you turn around facing that imaginary line, you're going to take nine more heel-to-toe steps. Okay. The whole time you're going to be looking down at your foot and you're going to be counting your steps out loud, okay? Okay. Go ahead and stay in the uh yeah, like that. Arms down on your side. Arms down on Arms down on your side. You want me to Okay, like this? Yeah. I'm Sorry, I'm just trying to Make sure your right foot is touching your toes on your left foot. Okay. Like this? And then arms down on your side. Yeah, stay like that, okay? I'm going to demonstrate for demonstration purposes. I'm going to take Go ahead and Oh. Yes. You want to demonstrate? Yeah, but stay stay in the position I told you to. Oh, okay. Sorry. Like this? Yeah, arms down on your side. Stay like that, okay? Until I tell you to begin. I'm going to demonstrate. I'm going to take nine I'm going to take three heel-to-toe steps, but you're going to take a total of nine, okay? Okay, you want me make it nine and then you're going to Yeah, but I'm going to demonstrate how, okay? Okay, you ready? So, it's going to look like this, okay? Arms down at your side. And then you're going to take nine heel-to-toe steps. I'm going to take three. It's going to be like one two three. And then you're going to leave your front foot in front. You're going to take a series of small steps to turn back around. And then you're going to take another nine steps. One two three. The whole time >> Really close? Yeah. Okay. The whole time you're going to be looking down at your feet and you're going to be counting out loud. You're going to leave your arms down at your side. And you're not going to stop until I tell you. Or until you've completed the test. Yeah. >> complete mine? Yeah. Okay. >> Go ahead and stand in the position I told you. I'm sorry. I just cut my leg because of the >> You're okay. I just thought this is burning me really badly. That That's okay. We'll We'll look at it right now. So, left foot, plant it down, right foot in front, touching your toes. Arms down at your side. And you're going to take nine heel-to-toe steps when I Wait, not yet. Sorry. You're going to take nine heel-to-toe steps. Whenever you reach your ninth step, you're going to leave your front foot, plant it down, take a series of small steps, turn back around, and take nine more heel-to-toe steps, okay? Got it. Get in the position I told you to. You can begin. 2001 2002 Sorry. 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 >> parallel. 2008 8 Wait, 9 10 11 2012 Sorry, I'm just not >> You're okay. You're okay. 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Sorry, I'm not that coordinate. 2018 2019 2020 >> Okay, you stop. All right, Abby. Go ahead and turn around. Put your hands behind your back. Am I under arrest? Yes, so you're under arrest for driving under the influence, okay? Again, can you do it outside, >> [snorts] >> please? SIA Search incident. All right. Come on, Abby. Do you want your cell phone? Oh, yeah, you took her purse and her cell phone. Grab it. >> [snorts] >> Oh, you want to take her car? Just >> these. Take these. Like, no way. Go ahead and search her. Do a quick search of her. Go ahead and lift up her arms. Search her in the front. Is this your car? Like, is it on you? Yeah. Okay, it's going to be towed by sunset, okay? Just let you know, I'll give you the information. So, the officers are arresting you. You'll get that with you, okay? Did I fail the drug the like test? Uh so, it's not a fail or pass. Oh. It's basically it shows whether you're Yeah, it shows signs of impairment. The curve? Oh, she She went all the way over there. You can see the marks from the median. She just ping ping ping. Yeah, she basically just took the curve. Yeah. Yeah, uh Embry, I'm going to read something to you, okay? Okay. And you should pay attention. Listen to me. I'm about to tell you something important. You're under arrest for driving under the influence. Am I really drunk or something? Oh, alcohol or uh drugs. >> [snorts] >> Then in Mexico, implied consent requires you to submit to a breath test to determine the alcohol content of your blood. After you take our test, you have the right to choose an additional independent test. If you choose to take this additional independent test, you have the right to a reasonable opportunity to arrange for a physician, a licensed nurse, a laboratory technician, or a technologist who is employed by the hospital or physician of your own choice to perform an additional chemical test. >> [snorts] >> The cost of this additional test will be paid by the law enforcement agency. Do you agree to take our test? Yes. Yeah. Okay. All right. Just go ahead and uh Can you guys get my keys, though? Yeah. I'll I'll have your keys. >> And my phone? Yeah. Okay. Uh give me a second. Go ahead and just open your mouth. Uh put your tongue up. Up. Good. Okay. Go and take a seat. I'll take it with her if she wants it, and the keys. Uh just put it on the hood. Can I get my phone, too? Uh yeah, but you can't get it with you. It'll be on your property. No, no, no, no, I get it. Okay. So, what happened? We were just driving and she hit the median and it just Sorry. Hit the median here and it started spinning. Have you guys been drinking tonight? No. No. No, you can do whatever you need. Uh I don't care about you. No, I I promise I didn't. Cuz you're what, 23? Yeah, I am. What is it, she been drinking? Um I don't know. You don't know, or you don't want to say? I don't know. I just got picked up right now. I was in the back I was in the I wasn't paying attention. I was on my Where were you guys at? We [clears throat] were at the pool. At the pool, which pool? At my house. Your house? And then on the Mexico Avenue? Mhm. Okay. So, you were sitting in the back left? Yeah. Where were you when she was speeding? I don't know. I don't know. I wasn't paying attention. I was just on my What's that? I was just on my phone. I I don't even know how this happened. Like, I was Go ahead. All right. That's my She's my The driver is my cousin. Driver is your cousin? That's why my mom >> So, what happened? She hit So, we're going to the movies and she hit the She hit the medium cuz she hit the medium cuz we came into like it's a two-lane that comes to a one-lane. So, she hit the medium and then we like swerved into the sidewalk. And I closed my eyes, so Were you the passenger? Yeah. Was it Were you heading home? Have you had some sushi? Earlier I had a sushi tea, yeah. Earlier? But, that was on my own, yeah. What about you, Rosie? I don't know. I'm with her right now, yeah. She picked me She picked me up from my house. So, home? Yeah. And you guys went from there where did you go? We went to her girlfriend's apartment. We picked her up, we went to her pool for a little bit and then we're going to go to the movies and that was it. You going to the movies? Was she driving fast? No, it was normal. Yeah. Okay. How long did you have any injuries to sit? I'm okay. Any injuries? Just my finger, just that. As the final questions wrap up, the full picture of the night starts to come into focus. What seemed like a simple crash quickly shifts once clear signs of impairment appear right at the scene. After the field sobriety test and the necessary procedures, the officer makes the final call while also explaining the driver's rights and the next required steps under the law. The body cam ends on a heavy note, a reminder that one bad decision behind the wheel can lead to very real consequences. >> [music] >> If you've made it this far, drop your thoughts below. In this situation, do you think the officers [music] handled it appropriately?