As I have blogged before on the status of California’s DUI laws, last week saw a perfect illustration of what happens when one is caught drinking and driving. A 25-year-old San Diego State student by the name of Amber Dlaine McKinney Morgan was rescued by California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers who broke her window to get her out of her car.
Recently, the defendant was believed to be drunk and passed out in her car while it was stopped in the middle of I-805 northbound in San Diego’s Kearny Mesa area. KGTV photojournalist Paul Anderegg stopped to see what was going on and called 911. While waiting for a response, he ran out and tried to awaken the driver when there was a break in traffic. When CHP arrived, they found Ms. Morgan’s car locked, and were unable to revive her. The car then started rolling as traffic was speeding by, so CHP Officer Sergio Flores broke her window and dragged her out. Ms. Morgan was arrested about 1:20 a.m. on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in the area of Interstate 805 and Clairemont Mesa. However, Ms. Morgan was freed from the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility after posting the bail that was set at $2,500. Her photo has gone viral on the internet.