Camden DUI Lawyer: Nun Convicted of DUI

Law Offices of Michele Finizio, released an article discussing “Camden DUI Lawyer: Nun Convicted DUI”, if you would like to know more Please continue reading below.

A nun from a prominent Philadelphia high school was recently charged and convicted of a DUI in New Jersey last month after failing to convince a Gloucester County judge that she had been “sleep-driving” and had no recollection of the events that transpired. The police were alerted of the nun’s reckless driving by another driver. The driver claimed to have witnessed a hit-and-run where the nun backed into an auto repair shop and fled the scene.

The police charged the nun with a DUI after they found a bottle of wine that was halfway full and a breathalyzer showed the nun’s blood alcohol level to be double the legal driving limit. The nun claimed that she took an Ambien sleeping pill with a glass of wine at her home in North Philadelphia before she went to bed the night she was arrested. She claims she has no idea how she ended up in Washington Township.

The nun’s trial took five hours and was held in a Gloucester County municipal court. The nun’s defense was that her sleep-driving behavior is actually a condition known as “pathological intoxication.” The defense further argued that the defendant should not be found guilty because she was not aware that she was driving her vehicle and never had the intent to do so. Moreover, the defense claimed that the nun’s pharmacist did not properly warn her of the possible side effects of Ambien. Conversely, the prosecution told the judge that New Jersey state law is only concerned with driving under the influence of alcohol and does not speak of intent.

The judge did not accept the nun’s argument regarding pathological intoxication, which he said is not supported by New Jersey case law. The judge quickly renounced the defendant’s argument that the pharmacist was at fault, saying that the drug Ambien has been on the market for a long enough time that she should have been aware of the risks that come with taking the sleep medicine. He also referred to the open bottle of wine in the back of the defendant’s car, which violated open container laws in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The nun’s license was suspended for 90 days and she was ordered to pay a fine. She will continue to be on administrative leave from her teaching duties at the Philadelphia high school where she works.

Camden DUI Lawyer Michele Finizio Fights for Individuals Convicted of a DUI in New Jersey

If you, a loved one or someone you know has been charged with a DUI or a DWI in New Jersey, contact the Law Offices of Michele Finizio so that you can go over the events surrounding your arrest with a knowledgeable and experienced Camden DUI lawyer. Our law offices are conveniently located in Moorestown, New Jersey and we can serve clients throughout South Jersey, including Camden County, Burlington County, Atlantic County, Mercer County, Gloucester County, Cape May County, and Salem County. Call us at 856-888-9059 or contact us online today.