PARSIPPANY — A Parsippany woman, Amanda Soto, 33, was charged with driving under the influence following a late-night encounter with police near Sylvan Way and Entin Road.
On patrol, Parsippany Police Officer Thomas Lally observed a disabled vehicle stopped in the right lane of Sylvan Way. The officer noted that the vehicle had two flat tires on the right side and appeared to be obstructing traffic. The driver, later identified as Amanda Soto, was found reclined in the driver’s seat.
Officer Lally approached the vehicle and inquired if assistance was needed. Soto initially stated she had contacted a tow company, but could not provide the name of the company when asked. During the conversation, officers observed slurred speech and detected the odor of alcohol emanating from the vehicle.
Officer Torres arrived on the scene and, with Officer Lally, requested Soto exit the vehicle. According to the report, she used the car door to steady herself and had difficulty performing the standardized field sobriety tests. Soto allegedly failed multiple components of the test, including the walk-and-turn and single-leg stand, with officers reporting loss of balance and failure to follow instructions.
Following the roadside evaluation, Soto was placed under arrest and secured in the rear of a patrol vehicle. While en route, she reportedly began striking her head against the vehicle’s partition. Officers intervened and Soto was transported by ambulance to Saint Clare’s Hospital in Denville for evaluation.
A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a half-empty 750ml bottle of vodka.
Officer Lally obtained a court-authorized McNeely warrant for blood samples, which were collected at the hospital. Soto was later released from Saint Clare’s and transported to Parsippany Police Headquarters, where she was processed without further incident.
She was released to a responsible person who signed the necessary John’s Law documentation.
Soto was issued summonses for:
Open Container of Alcohol in a Motor Vehicle (39:4-51A(1)(B))
Driving Under the Influence (39:4-50)
Editor’s Note: The court’s rules require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and/or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
