A routine drive in Red Bank, New Jersey, took a sharp turn when a motorist was stopped for driving on the wrong side of the road, leading to a viral Red Bank DWI arrest bodycam moment.
The incident, which occurred on West Front Street, began with a dangerous traffic violation and quickly spiraled into a complex investigation involving suspended documents and failed sobriety tests. As police dug deeper, the driver’s confusion over her insurance status and a smell of alcohol escalated the stop into a full DUI investigation.
Table of Contents
Watch: Red Bank DWI Arrest Bodycam Caught on Camera
Note: Pay close attention to the timestamp at 00:08:17. This is the critical moment the officer reveals the driver’s registration is suspended, shifting the entire tone of the encounter.
Full Story: How the Incident Unfolded
The incident began in the early hours of October 26, 2024, on a rainy night in Red Bank. Officer Preston Mellaci initiated a traffic stop after observing a vehicle driving on the opposite side of the road near White Street.
The Wrong Way Driver
When the officer approached the vehicle, he immediately questioned the driver’s positioning. “The reason I stopped you is because you’re driving on the opposite side of the road,” the officer stated.
The driver, identified in the footage as “Tara” or “Kara,” seemed confused by the local traffic patterns. “I never drove from home before… I thought that it was illegal to turn left and then switch lanes,” she explained, admitting she had crossed lanes improperly.
“Everything is Good”—Or Was It?
Initially, the driver claimed her license and status were fine. “Everything’s good. As far as I know,” she told the officer. However, a check of her documents revealed a different story.
The officer returned with bad news: “That one looks like the same, but no, that one expired,” pointing out issues with her insurance card. The driver frantically searched her phone for proof of insurance, realizing the policy on file had expired in October 2023—a full year prior.
The Suspension Bombshell
The situation worsened when the officer ran her information through the system. He returned to the car to inform her that not only was her registration suspended, but her license was suspended as well.
“Your registration is normally suspended because you either don’t have insurance on your car or the insurance life lapsed,” the officer explained. The driver claimed she had switched insurance in August and had set up auto-pay, but the DMV records showed a lapse.
The Smell of Alcohol
While discussing the paperwork, the investigation shifted to impairment. “Did you have anything to drink tonight?” the officer asked.
“No. I do nothing at all,” the driver insisted.
The officer pushed back, stating, “Because I smell some alcohol. Under [your] breath”. The driver explained she had just come off a “double” shift and went out to eat, but denied drinking.
The Field Sobriety Tests
To verify her ability to drive, the officer asked her to exit the vehicle for standard field sobriety tests.
- The Eye Test: During the horizontal gaze test, the driver struggled to follow instructions, moving her head instead of just her eyes multiple times. At one point, she claimed she “didn’t see the pen” due to the darkness.
- The Walk and Turn: The driver was instructed to take nine steps heel-to-toe. She struggled with the count, audibly miscounting steps and appearing unsteady.
- The One-Leg Stand: Finally, she attempted to balance on one leg. Her counting became erratic: “12 1030 1014,” slurring the numbers as she tried to maintain balance.
The Arrest: Charges Against the Suspect
Following the tests, the officer placed the driver under arrest. The primary charge listed in the police report is 2100 D.W.I. (Driving While Intoxicated). Based on the transcript, she likely faces additional citations for her documentation.
| Charge | Simple Explanation | Potential Penalty (NJ) |
| DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) | Operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. | License loss, fines, IDRC classes, potential jail time. |
| Driving While Suspended | Driving when driving privileges have been revoked by the state. | Fines up to $500, further license suspension, potential jail. |
| Uninsured Motor Vehicle | Operating a car without valid liability insurance. | Automatic license suspension (1 year), heavy fines, community service. |
| Failure to Keep Right | Driving in the left lane or wrong side of the road. | Traffic fines and points on license. |
Legal Analysis: Was the Red Bank DWI Arrest Bodycam Stop Justified?
Probable Cause for the Stop
Under the Fourth Amendment, police need “reasonable suspicion” of a traffic violation to stop a car. In this case, the Red Bank DWI arrest bodycam footage clearly records the officer stating the driver was “driving on the opposite side of the road”. This is a clear violation of traffic laws (Failure to Keep Right), giving the officer absolute legal authority to initiate the stop.
The Expansion to a DWI Investigation
Can an officer expand a traffic ticket stop into a DUI interrogation? Yes, if new evidence appears. Here, the officer noted the “smell of alcohol” coming from the driver’s breath. Courts generally accept the odor of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, or slurred speech as sufficient grounds to request Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs).
Documentation Failures
The driver’s admission that she “didn’t realize” her insurance had lapsed is not a valid legal defense. In New Jersey, driving without insurance is a strict liability offense—meaning your intent doesn’t matter, only the fact that the car was uninsured. The suspended registration provided the officer with further probable cause to impound the vehicle, as it could not legally be driven on the road.
[Read more Evidence Decode investigations here]
5 FAQs in that are connected to the charges in this case (DWI, Suspended License, Uninsured Vehicle):
Can a lapse in insurance coverage automatically suspend my driver’s license and registration?
In this case, the driver believed her insurance was active, but the system showed a lapse from the previous year, which triggered an automatic suspension of her registration.
Can exhaustion or physical fatigue cause someone to fail Field Sobriety Tests even if they are sober?
The driver mentioned she had just finished a “double” shift and had balance issues due to physical therapy, which can mimic signs of intoxication during balance tests like the “One Leg Stand.”
Does the “smell of alcohol” alone provide enough probable cause for a DWI investigation?
The officer escalated the stop from a traffic violation to a DWI investigation specifically because he detected the odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath, despite her denial of drinking.
Why are police required to impound a vehicle found to be uninsured, even if a passenger is available to drive it?
The driver asked if her friend could take the car, but the officer explained that because the vehicle was unregistered and uninsured, it legally could not be driven on the road and had to be towed.
Can a simple traffic error, like turning into the wrong lane, legally justify a police stop for DWI?
The stop was initiated solely because the driver turned left and drove on the opposite side of the road, which gave the officer the legal “reasonable suspicion” needed to detain her, leading to the discovery of the other offenses.
Conclusion & Current Status
The incident concluded with the driver being placed in handcuffs and transported to headquarters. Because the vehicle was unregistered and uninsured, police were legally required to tow and impound it.
The case is marked as “Cleared by Adult Arrest” in the official Red Bank Police Department records. The driver will now have to face the Red Bank municipal court to answer for the DWI charge and the severe administrative violations regarding her license and insurance.
Download Police Report click here.
Disclaimer: All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This report is based on official police records.
Don’t Rely on Their Word Alone In this case, conflicting stories led to an arrest. The only way to prove your innocence in a traffic stop is with your own 4K evidence. Protect yourself this holiday season. 🎄 Click Here