On the night of April 10th, 2022, a red Dodge Dart tore through East Peoria, Illinois at speeds well over the posted limit. Behind the wheel was Stephanie Melgoza, 23 years old, a senior at Bradley University. >> Yes, sir. Do you understand? Yes. All right, touch the tip of my pen just so you I know where you There you All right. That's what I want you to follow. Nope, keep your head still. We're going to try We're going to try that again. It's hard. All right, just >> Okay, okay, okay. Four weeks away from walking across the stage to collect her diploma. She had just left a night out, three vodka drinks in, an open bottle of Tito's vodka on the floor of her car. Her blood alcohol level was .264, or to that, more than three times the legal limit. Outside a bar called Full Throttle, two people were crossing the street. Paul Prowant, 55, his girlfriend, Andrea Rosewich, 43. They never saw the car coming. Stephanie Melgoza hit them both at full speed. The impact was so violent severed leg was found embedded in the grill of her car. Paul and Andrea were found on the pavement, and Stephanie Melgoza, standing at the scene watching paramedics fight to save the people she had just struck, showed no emotion at all. Melgoza herself had called 911 after hitting the couple. When officers arrived, they found her standing near her destroyed car. Come over here with me, ma'am, okay? >> as soon as this [ __ ] happened. I was just like, this doesn't happen to me. >> I understand. I go to Bradley. Like, why would this happen to me? Okay. So, here's what I'm going to have you do. If you can uh maybe help Tyree do CPR on that one right now. You tell me, I'm right here. Okay. Just hang tight right here. Did anybody get any of your information? No, no one um someone Your friend took my license. Do you have a driver's license? Your friend took my license. Okay, I'm just I'm just going to write it down here. Just let you know I got body cameras. Okay. What is your first name? S t e p h a n i e Middle initial? I don't have one. Okay, last name? >> Melgoza m e l g o z a Phone number? Okay. Yes. Were you leaving the bar or were you coming this down the road? I mean I was coming here. Okay. >> I had just gotten my night started. So were you going this direction or this direction? >> I was coming this direction. Okay, here's what I'm going to have you do. Uh Yes, thank you. The front of the Dodge Dart was crushed. The windshield was shattered and the evidence of what had happened was visible in the most horrifying way possible. Just get Let's get away from the scene a little bit. Let them do their thing, okay? This is your car, right? The correct The red car? You were the only one in the I'm the only one. >> Okay, come over here to my squad car, okay? Yep. Yeah, can you take your purse off and just set that on here? We got to Yep. Do you have anything illegal on you? Yes, I have marijuana in my In your purse? Okay. Have you had any marijuana tonight? >> No. Okay. Can you set those on the car for me for me? My big shoes? Yep, yep. Set that down there. And my phone? And your phone? >> Yes, I am. All right, just come over here. Put your hands on my car. I'm going to pat search before I put you in my car, okay? Okay, I am. No pockets or anything? No. Okay. All right, until we figure out how we're going to handle this, I'm going to have you sit uncuffed in the back seat of my car. I'm going to get you out. We're going to probably do some field sobriety tests and all that. I got some more questions for you. Right now I'm going to have you sit down just so we're out of the roadway, okay? Right over here. Just scoot that over for me, okay? You want to do it? An officer approached Melgoza and immediately detected the heavy smell of alcohol. Her speech was slurred. Here we go. Are you hurt at all or need or need medics yourself? >> I know, sir. Okay, cuz your entire I mean your car is pretty beat up, so I'm making sure are you bleeding anywhere? Um no, I'm okay. >> Is that little blood splatter on your hands maybe from the glass? I see you got glass cut all over you. Do I? I think I'm okay. Okay. All right. Hang tight a minute. Okay, she's suspect. That's her. She's um They're probably going to call both of them, so But yeah, go check out her car. Sorry. It's okay. All right. All right, so here's the deal. Just because I do have you in the back of the police car, I don't have you in custody or under arrest. But obviously you don't feel like you're free to go right now, right? So, I'm just going to read you your Miranda rights. Do you understand what they are and we're going to talk about what happened in the accident, okay? I appreciate you being cool. You know, I understand this is pretty stressful. It is. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in court. You have a right to talk to a lawyer before questioning and have him present with you while you're being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer, one will be provided for you before questioning, okay? Do you understand any of your rights? What's How do you say your first name? Stephanie. Stephanie. Okay. That being said, will you talk to me and explain what happened? Okay. >> to you about anything. All right, so explain detailed just what happened prior to the accident. I was coming to full throttle >> [snorts] >> and I was almost here as you can see. >> Were you Were you driving this way or that coming down that side road or what? >> this way. Okay. And suddenly one person walked out in front of me Okay. and my car got hit. I called you as soon as they got hit. >> called 911? >> called 911 as soon as something happened. And then someone said, "Oh, someone else is hit." I'm just like, "Oh my god, how did that happen?" He asked her what had happened. She told him she had been driving from a bar near that someone had walked out in front of her car and that she had called 911 right away. Okay, what happened when you hit the one person? What happened? I just called you. That's all I know. Okay, did did they fall down right away or did you get out and help them or what happened? >> I got out. I called you and then everyone else came out. So I like kind of just let them Okay. >> come and take over the situation. Okay. >> Um but I promise you like I only know one person got hit and I'm just like they came out of nowhere because a safe driver. I get it. Hang on 1 minute. Just going to start writing here, okay? Pedestrian at 4870. Okay, just so Um if you had asked me how fast were you going when you hit the person? Pedestrian at 4870. I would say I was going at least at least 40. At least 40. Do you think that Maybe 40 to 45 but at least 40. Okay. All right. Do you think you were going too fast for this area at the time with the darkness? >> I honestly don't think I was going too fast because I try to be cautionary about where I'm at. >> Okay. But I just know that someone one person came out of nowhere. >> Did you have your headlights on? Yes, sir. Brights on or just regular headlights? >> Regular. Okay. Okay, so obviously you saw them. There was no time to react or time to stop. >> That's the word. Okay. All right. Where were you coming from tonight? >> coming from Tavern 41 on Sterling Avenue. Tavern 31 on Sterling >> 41. Tavern 41 on Sterling Avenue. Okay, and you left the Tavern 41 and drove straight here. Yes, sir. Okay. Over the course of the night, how much have you had to drink? >> I probably had about three drinks. What's what's What is three drinks to you? Like, are we talking What type of drinks? Uh just vodka. Vodka? Straight vodka or mixed drinks? >> Uh vodka and water, so I was staying hydrated, you know, and drinking. >> Mhm. On it uh >> Like right now, if you had me do a test, I think I would pass. Just like not Don't test me, but I think I would pass. Okay. I'm going to be honest, we're we are going to do those tests here in a little bit because of circumstances, obviously, we have to, okay? Uh how long ago was your last drink, would you say? Uh my last drink, I would say about 40 minutes. >> 40 minutes ago? Did Were you drinking anything while you're in the vehicle, or was the last drink at the bar? At the bar. Okay. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least drunk you've ever been, 10 being the most drunk you've ever been, where would you say you put yourself right right now? Five, because I've been very drunk. And right now, like I see you, I see everyone. I know the situation, you know what I mean? Like, I know I'm aware of everything. Okay. Here's what I'm going to do, I'm going to close the door. Uh if it stops raining, we might do some tests. >> Mhm. in the roadway, otherwise, we might go back to the police station to do it. We'll figure out how we're going to do it, okay? Is there >> Yeah, we got your purse, your uh phone already, and that's That's all we need out of your car, right? Okay. Take down. All right, I'm going to just run your information. You got a valid license and all that, correct? All right. All right, Stephanie, go ahead and step on out here for me. We're going to do these uh quick tests. It It started raining a little bit, but it pretty much let up as long as you're okay with that. >> All right, come right over here. You can just stand here in front of my squad car and face me. All right, just uh The officer then asked if she would submit to a field sobriety test. What happened next was captured in its entirety on his body-worn camera. >> Just confirming, you said you had three drinks at the bar, right? Okay. Three Okay. And your last one was pretty recent? Okay. All right. Do you Do you any medical problems, any injuries problems with I mean, I have employees that are like always on Okay, what do you do? I have to try my dress. What do you do for work? >> at the Olive Garden. So, you're on your feet all day? All day. No issues with that. Okay. You're overall you're pretty healthy? Would you agree? Okay. All right. You see my pen right here? >> I see it. What I want you to do is follow the tip of my pen. I'm going to move my pen back and forth several times. What you do is follow the tip of my pen. >> me to like walk or just my eyes? No, we're just doing your eyes right now. I want you to follow the tip of my pen. And it would become one of the most disturbing pieces of footage ever released by a police department. Melgoza smiled. She giggled. She struggled to follow the officer's [music] instructions laughing as she tried to track a light with her eyes. With your eyes, your eyes only, but keep your head still. I want you to continue that test till I tell you to stop, okay? Do you understand? All right, touch the tip of my pen just so I know where you're There you go. All right. That's what I want you to follow. Nope, keep your head still for me. Oh, my head. Okay. Just your eyes. All right, we're going to try we're going to try that again. It's hard. All right, just >> Okay, okay, okay. Keep your head still for me. It's It's so hard to keep my head still. Do the best you can. Just follow with your eyes. Are you able to hold your head still without your hands? Okay, I'll try. >> just follow with your eyes, okay? I'll try. I'll try. Okay. Keep following. All right. Keep looking out to the side. There you go. I see you. Keep looking at it to the side. Okay. Can I breathe? Yep. Okay. Okay. Go ahead and breathe. Perfect. This is hard because I can't breathe out of my nose and Keep your head straight. >> is up. My head is straight. I told you it's hard. I'd rather do the walking test. Okay. Go up. Keep your head straight. Just look up with your eyes. Keep your head tilted down. >> going to try that again. Just look up like you're looking up at the sky, but keep your head down. All right. One more time on that, okay? All right. I did it. Okay. Stand right over here for the next test, okay? She failed every single test, and through all of it, while two people lay dead or dying on the ground behind her, she behaved as if she were at a party, aggravated DUI, reckless driving, [music] fatalities, deaths. What I'm going to have you do is stand about right here, face my car. We don't have a line, we're going to pretend there's an invisible line straight from you to my license plate, okay? Can you see my license plate fine? All right. That's That's the area we're going to shoot for. We're going to walk towards that, okay? What I want you to do is put your left foot down first. Now, put your right foot in front of your left foot with your right heel touching your left toe just as I'm demonstrating. Go ahead. Go ahead and get in that position for me. >> toe. Yeah, I want you to. Go ahead and tie your shoe for me, okay? Sorry. >> [snorts] >> Okay. Okay. What I want to Exactly as I'm demonstrating, put your left foot down. Now, put your right foot in front of your left foot, your right heel touching your left toe. Stay in that position while I explain instructions. Do not begin until I tell you to, okay? Hands straight down your side. When I say you're going to take nine heel-to-toe steps down the line, you're going to turn around, take nine heel-to-toe steps back, okay? When I say you're going to take nine heel-to-toe steps down this line, you're going to turn around, take nine heel-to-toe steps back. On your On your turn, I want you to keep your front foot on the line, then you're going to use your other foot to turn yourself around with several small steps, okay? This is what it's going to look This is what it's going to look like. This position you're in, when I say go, one, two, three, on down to nine. Keep that front foot on the line, use your other foot to turn yourself around with several small steps. Nope, stay in that position. Go back the same. One, two, three, and on down to nine, okay? Again, I just did three for demonstration purposes. I'm going to have you do nine each way. During this test, make sure you watch your feet at all times. Keep your arms straight down your side, count out loud so I can hear you. Once you begin the test, do not stop until you have completed the test, okay? Yeah. Do you understand my instructions? All right, go ahead and begin the test, okay? Yes, ma'am. All right. If you can just stand right here in front of me for the next test, go and face me. Put both your feet together, arms straight down your side. This is called a one leg stand test, okay? Whichever leg you choose, I'm going to have you lift it approximately 6 in off the ground with your foot parallel to the ground, holding that position. What you count out loud for 30 seconds in the following manner: 1,001, 1,002, 1,003, and so on until you get to 30 seconds or until I tell you to stop, okay? During this test, make sure you watch your race foot at all times. Keep your arms straight down your side. Count out loud so I can hear you. This is what's going to look like. Position you're in. When I say go, you're just going to lift your foot up. 1,001, 1,002, 1,003, 1,004, 1,005, and so on until you get to 30 seconds or until I tell you to stop. Do you understand? No, ma'am. Just as I demonstrated, okay? Just as I demonstrated. Did you see my See my demonstration? Just like this. Your foot parallel to the ground. Do you understand? All right, go and begin the test, okay? Drop your foot, lift it right back up. You going where you left off. Continue the test, okay? Okay. All right, we'll stop the test right there. Go ahead stand right here by the front of my car for one last test for you, okay? Just stay right here for me. This is called a PBT test. Have you ever blown one of these before? No. Okay. Do you know what the legal limit is to drive in Illinois? I do not sir. Okay, 0.08, okay? What I'm going to have you do is take a deep breath, a long, hard, steady blow into the straw just like you're blowing up a balloon. Keep blowing until you hear the machine click, okay? All right. >> I blowing up a what? Yes, ma'am. Take a deep breath, long, hard, steady blow. Little bit harder for me, little bit harder. Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going. Okay. You're a Bradley student? I graduate in 4 weeks. >> You're a 0.264, okay? Okay. All right. Okay, go and turn around for me and place your hands behind your back. You are under arrest for DUI. She was placed [music] under arrest. She laughed as the officer put the handcuffs on. She was transported [music] to OSF Saint Francis Hospital for a blood draw and evaluation. You are under arrest for DUI, okay? You're good. All right. Come right over here and have a seat in my car, okay? All right? Yes, sir. Whatever you say. Okay. So, just so we're clear, I'm going to undo your seat belt, okay? I'm sorry. There we go. Okay. So, you understand what we're going to do? First off, I'm going to let you know the two pe- You did hit two people total. >> that. You did. I didn't. Okay. I'm just Okay. However you want to word it to yourself, that's fine, okay? I'm just telling you there's two people struck by your vehicle and both both are dead. I didn't know I hit two people. Okay. Well, I'm just telling you the two people that hit your car. Ma'am, lis- listen. Two people struck your vehicle, so I'm telling you and they're both deceased on scene. I'm just telling you that information, okay? We're going to go in here. We're going to do the thing. I appreciate you being cooperative so far. I'm just tell I got I'm going you what's going on. You understand? Okay, come all right. Come on out here this way. All right, right over here. Stay right here and grab all this stuff here. I'm not sure there is. Um once we get in here we'll tell them they'll probably take it off for you, okay? All right, come follow me. All right, that's emergency doors here. And it was there in the sterile light of a hospital room that the body cam captured the exchanges that would make this case go viral around the world. Well, your whole front wind- windshield is shattered out, so that's understandable. You okay? You okay? You have you had enough of drinking already? We're talking about Vegas. There's no limit in Vegas, right? Have you been there? I swear to god if you snap chat right now without my phone I'm going to be mad. And I have such a long day tomorrow. Oh my god. I'm not going to answer anyone's snap chat. I'm not going to answer any questions. They're going to be like, bro, I'm at home today. >> Okay, well, you're being too quiet, so I'm going to start singing because I hate quiet. So I got to figure out all the paperwork. Okay, I just got to start singing then. Ooh, ETA has a beat. Ooh. East Peoria officer Jeffrey Bieber was assigned to stay with Melgoza [music] while a nurse performed a DUI kit. As he waited, he watched this 23-year-old [music] woman who had just killed two people. Oh, hey, you never answered about my car. anything. I school where else, so how do I get my car for school tomorrow? Well, your car is totaled. It's what? Your car is totaled. Totaled? Totaled? Totaled. Wrecked. Okay, so how do I get this thing out of here? You don't. So, what do we I don't go to school tomorrow, but you're telling me No, ma'am. Don't mean to be rude to you. You're going to jail. You don't have a bond. You killed two people tonight. I don't think you understand that. You do not have a bond. You are not getting out of jail. Your car is property of East Peoria Police Department because it's a crime scene. It killed two people tonight. You were close with that clearly. I've already explained this to you. You're going to jail for reckless homicide tonight. You're going to dance in a hospital bed. She sang to herself. She talked excitedly about her upcoming birthday trip to Las Vegas. "It's going to be so fun." she gushed. >> aggravated DUI for killing two people. That's what's going on. So, no, you're not going to school tomorrow. You're not getting your car out of impound. I have a Tuesday week and then my finals. Did you just hear what I just told you? You said I'm not going tomorrow. I'm talking about Tuesday. Did you hear what I said that you >> to go to jail tomorrow. Did you You're going to jail at when we're done here. Yes. Did you understand what I told that you killed two people tonight? Yes, so I'm just wondering when I can go to school. Okay, we're done. You're all one body camera being completely careless about killing two people tonight. You could care less. That's sad and pathetic and horrible all at the same time. Can you say that on the camera? Yes, ma'am. I can. Okay, so can I ask when I can go back to school? So, when like should I You know like your professors and do I get to go back to school for a while or what? Cuz like we already told you like I need to I don't know. Well, to be quite frankly, I'm a little more concerned about the two people that are dead right there. To be fair. To be fair. Should I ask her Yeah. Hey. Yeah. Uh unless they were in her purse and they took them. I don't think so. Okay. Yep, no problem. Good, we got I mean we got the DUI kid down already or just because she had her sunglasses that they brought. And then [music] the officer said something directly into the body cam, something he clearly wanted recorded. They're back. They had a doctor look at her foot, but we're just waiting for the discharge paperwork to come. Where is the other one? All right, thank you. Is that what he's going to do with the DUI color like color difference? Oh my god, all of them have love. They're going to be Come on, dog. You're tired of this video. It's okay. We're taking him to the vet for his birthday. In 2 months. It'll be fun. I just can't wait. >> In the span of one night, Stephanie Melgoza [music] went from a