The scene unfolds on a crisp November morning in Larchmont, Connecticut. A concerned call comes in to the police department, reporting a woman acting erratically after dropping her daughter off at school. The woman, sitting in her car outside the school, becomes the focus of a police investigation.
Police officers talking to a woman in a car
Image description: Two police officers stand on either side of a car, speaking to a woman in the driver’s seat.
As the officer approaches the vehicle, he asks the woman for her ID and inquires about her well-being. Her response is evasive, mentioning medication and claiming to have only smoked weed. Despite her attempts to downplay the situation, her behavior raises red flags for the officer.
The officer asks Christina to perform a series of field sobriety tests to assess her ability to drive safely. He carefully explains each test, taking into consideration her claims of medical issues and recent injuries. However, Christina struggles to complete the tests, further raising suspicions.
![A police officer demonstrating a field sobriety test](https://www.verywellmind.com/thmb/4M5hKzG9p_Puca5CUhufJ3BYb7A=/768×0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/one-leg-stand-test-56a471603df78cf7728a3494.jpg)
Image description: A police officer demonstrates the one-leg stand test, a common field sobriety test.
The situation escalates as the officers notice inconsistencies in Christina’s story and behavior. They find drug paraphernalia in her car, including a grinder and pills not prescribed to her. The discovery of these items leads to her arrest.
Close-up of a grinder, commonly used for marijuana
Image description: A grinder containing marijuana sits on a table.
Christina is handcuffed and placed in the back of a squad car. The weight of her actions and the potential consequences begin to sink in. She expresses remorse, mentioning her efforts to get better and the impact this will have on her daughter.
The drive to the police station is filled with tension and regret. Christina pleads with the officer, claiming to feel unwell and desperate to speak to her lawyer. Upon arriving at the station, she is escorted inside for processing.
A police officer escorting a handcuffed woman
Image description: A police officer, seen from behind, escorts a handcuffed woman in a blue shirt down a hallway.
Inside the station, Christina undergoes a search and is read her rights. The charges against her are significant: driving under the influence and risk of injury to a child. Her case is still pending, but the incident reveals a pattern of legal trouble, including a previous DUI arrest just four months prior.
Christina’s story serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of driving under the influence. Her struggles with addiction and the choices she made on that November morning have put her future, and the well-being of her daughter, in jeopardy.