Maybe because I'm white. I guess this is what I'm thinking now. But yeah, go ahead. >> This case is a master class in how a traffic stop can spiral. Not because of what the officers did wrong, but because a driver couldn't stop herself from digging a deeper hole. >> That's so disrespectful on so many levels. >> You don't know my background. You don't know his background. First of all, I wasn't talking to you. >> I don't care. You're talking to my partner. >> Let's be real. Christina started off relatively composed until things didn't go her way. After admitting to drinking wine and speeding over 100 mph, which in Florida already makes you an officer magnet, she was cooperative but increasingly defensive during the standardized field sobriety tests. >> Radar 1050 77 Echo Lima Yankee Charlie. It's on a Kia SUV northbound 441 just south of Forest Hill. [Applause] Hi. How you doing? >> I am so sorry. Like I'm just trying to go back to my hotel and I know I was speeding. I'm so sorry. >> You got your driver license, registration proof, and insurance? >> Um, goodness. Where's my purse? Where you coming from? >> Huh? >> I was at an Airbnb where my son is at. He plays football. So, I'm here. >> So, we're here for his seven on seven football team. >> Okay. >> And I came from where they're staying and I'm going back to my place. >> Okay. You have your driver license, registration, insurance? >> I do, but I think it's in the back. >> In the back where? Put the windows down for me. The window is down. >> The back windows. Put all the windows down. >> Sure. >> Where in the back is it? >> I mean, I hope I didn't leave it at the house. Can I get out and look or >> You don't know where it is? >> I thought it was here, but it is not. Oh, here it is. I'm sorry. Here it is. It fell on the floor. Oh my god. Please. like um I just want to get back to my Airbnb. >> Well, how much have you had to drink tonight? >> I did have a glass of wine. I'm not going to lie. >> What started as a routine traffic stop for speeding turned chaotic when Christina, a mother visiting for her son's football event, clashed with officers. Her admission of drinking wine led to sobriety tests, but her accusations of racism and refusal to comply shifted the encounter to an arrest. >> I did. Yes. Now, >> how long ago was that? >> An hour ago. All right. You have the registration insurance. >> This is a rental. >> It's a rental. You have the rental agreement. >> Please don't. >> I'm sorry. >> Please don't like >> Well, I mean, you're going well over 100 mph. You didn't even realize you passed me and you're swerving all over the road. So, I mean, it's kind of a problem right now. >> No, I know. It was more that I was looking at the GPS trying to figure out where I was going. >> And I'll be right back with you. >> Okay. >> All right. Christina, can you step out for me? Is the car in park? All right, we're going to go right up here. >> Under Florida statute DUI doesn't require falling down drunkenness. If your normal faculties are impaired, even slightly, or your BAC is 0.08% or more, that's enough. Christina's performance, wobbly balance, miscounting, poor coordination, gave officers probable cause to continue the investigation. Just so we're clear, Florida isn't a one-off for high-risisk traffic stops. With over 44,000 DUI arrests last year alone and nearly 400 alcohol confirmed traffic deaths, this state already has one of the highest DUI fatality counts nationwide. One wrong move, like speeding past 100 mph, swerving lanes, and mixing wine with wheels can easily be the moment that tips you into those grim stats. >> Oh my god. Okay. >> Right to the front of your car. Just step up there for me. Turn to face me. >> Where? >> Right here. Step right there. Right. Turn to face me. All right. What I'm going to ask you to do is to perform some field satiety exercises. Okay. >> Okay. >> I want to make sure that you're safe to drive. >> That's fine. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, what I need you to do is put your feet together, arms down to your side. All right. Can you see a silver cap on the top of that pin? >> Yes, I can. >> All right. Turn my taked downs off. >> What I want you to do is follow the pin, the tip of the pin with your eyes only. Okay. >> Okay. >> I don't want you to move your head. >> All right. >> The light is like >> That's what I was going to ask you. Turn around. Face this way. >> All right. This what I need to be in your face. So, all I want you to do is follow the tip of your pen. Arms down. Feet together. Just follow the tip of the pen with your eyes only. Okay. Florida officers followed protocol by conducting SFST, standardized field sobriety tests, and documenting the process via body cam. In the absence of sufficient BAC data or undeniable impairment, they exercise discretion, an underused word in many roadside encounters. >> Yeah. Keep your head still for me. My head was still >> No, you're you're turning your head. Just follow hand only. Arms down to your side. >> Okay. >> All right. Look at me. Keep your head straight. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> I look Okay. >> All right. Just keep your head straight and follow the pin with your eyes only. There you go. All right, give me one second. >> Can you stand by with her for a sec? >> All right, here's what I want you to do. Take your left foot, put your left foot in the middle of that white line. In the middle of it. There you go. You're going to put your right foot in front of your left foot. Heel to toe. I can't do this normally, but okay. >> Arms down to your side. All right. What are you going to do? You're going to stand straight up and look straight ahead for me. >> I can't I literally can't do this normally. >> You can't walk in a straight line. >> Don't start till I tell you. I'm going to explain and demonstrate everything for you. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, go ahead and put your left foot back behind your behind your right. There you go. Arms down to your side. All right, look at me. I'm going to explain, demonstrate the task for you. So, you're going to start out from that position. Okay? You're going to take nine heel to toe steps down that line. Don't start till I tell you. >> Okay? >> Okay. You're going to count your steps out loud. You're going to keep your arms down to your side. You're going to take your steps all the way down the line to nine. And then you're going to turn around and take nine heel totoe steps back down the line. >> Okay? >> When your best defense is, I'm not drunk. I'm just clumsy. Maybe don't go 100 mph and blame the cops for following the law. Florida's roads are notorious and not just for alligators. In 2023, the state reported 44,185 DUI arrests, a slight uptick from 43,787 in 2021, but those numbers pale compared to the human toll. There were 3,375 traffic fatalities across the state in 2023 with 398 of them alcohol confirmed. That's roughly one fatal DUI every 3 days. Florida is also hit hard by hit-and-run crimes which spiked to 104,273 crashes in 2023, resulting in 271 deaths, 76% of which involved pedestrians or cyclists. >> I'm going to show you. Don't do anything till I till I tell you. Okay, >> that's fine. >> So, from that position, you >> Huh? >> Go ahead. >> What were you asking? >> No, I'm like I can't do that naturally, but I'll do it. Go ahead. >> Okay. So, you don't you don't walk in a straight line every day. You don't No. >> No. I'm clumsy. >> You're clumsy? >> Yep. >> All right. Go ahead and keep your arms down your side. >> All right. When you start, you're going to start from that position. You're going to count out loud. One, two, three, four. You're going to go all the way to nine. I'm going to four to show you how to do it. Okay. Yeah. >> On your ninth step, you're going to take a series of small steps just like this. >> And you're going to take nine heel to toe steps back up the line. So, it's going to look like this from that position. >> One, two, three, four. All the way to nine. Again, I'm going to four just to show you how the task is done. >> All right. Keep your arms down to your side. You understand the task? >> I got it. >> All right. Give me one sec. All right. Go ahead. And you can begin the task if you understand it or you don't have any questions. >> No, I got it. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Turn around. Right. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Okay. All right, come up here a little bit. Stay on the line. All right, the next task we're going to do, what I want you to do is put your arms down to your side. Keep your arms down to your side. When I tell you to, you're going to take either leg of your choosing. Let me stand on this side for you. Either leg of your choosing, you're going to raise it 6 in off the ground. Okay, you're going to look down at your toe. >> I feel like you should let me take my phone now and record cuz like this is just like so over the top, but okay. >> You're going to look down at your toe and you're going to count out loud. 1 1,000 2 1 3 1,000. You're going to go all the way to 31,000 or until I tell you this song. If for any reason you put your foot down, you just pick it up and continue where you where you were at on your count. Okay? So, it's going to I'm going to demonstrate it for you. It's going to look like this. You're going to raise your foot. You're going to look at your toe. You're going to count 1 1 2 1 100 3 100. For any reason, if you put the foot down, just pick it up and continue. 4 1 5 1 6 100 all the way to 31,000 or until I tell you to stop. Okay. >> Yeah. >> You understand what you're going to do? >> Yeah. >> All right. Go ahead. Put your arms down to your side and you can go ahead and start if you understand the task. 1 100 1,00 2 100 3 100 4 100 27 100 28 1 >> Keep your arms off to your side. >> I I Whatever. 28 1,000 29 100,000 31,000 41,000 31,000 I'm sorry. 31,000 >> You go and put your foot down. [Applause] >> Just come up here a little bit more for me down the line. The officer instructs Christina to walk nine steps heel to toe, counting aloud, turn and walk back. She completes the task, though she admits to being clumsy. One leg stand test. Christina is asked to raise one leg 6 in, look at her toe, and count to 31,000. She struggles putting her foot down and miscounting. >> This is like so over the top. >> Come on up. >> Maybe cuz I'm white, I guess. This is what I'm thinking now. But yep, go ahead. All right, the next task. What you're going to do is you're going to put your fingers out to the side like this. >> I feel like I need to get my phone at this point because like honestly they feel >> Listen, it's being video recorded. I'm recording you. She's recording you. And there's another camera right there. >> Perfect. Cuz it like it should be. Yeah. >> So, what you're going to do is you're going to bring your arms out to your side. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Give me one second. >> Going to bring your arms out this side. Finger out like this. Pointer finger. Just like that. All right. Feet together. >> You're going to maintain Yep. You're going to maintain that position. Okay. >> Yeah. >> When I tell you to, what you're gonna do is you're gonna tilt your head back. You're going to close your eyes and I'm going to tell you which hand. Okay? You're going to bring your finger up and you're going to touch the tip of your nose. It's going to look like this. Right finger up, tip of your nose, bring it back out. Left finger up, touch the tip of your nose, bring it right back out. >> Yep. >> You understand what's going to happen? >> Yeah, I got it. >> You have any questions? >> Nope. All right, you can go ahead and begin left. Turn your head back. >> Am I good? Like, >> did you understand the instructions? >> You said left and I have to touch my nose. That's all I know. >> Touch your nose. Tip of your nose. Bring your finger back out. >> Okay. So, I didn't know that. So, I apologize. >> Right. Turn your head back. Close your eyes. >> What? >> Close your eyes. Right, left, right, left. All right. So, you can put your arms down. Stay right there. What's the highest grade you completed? I >> I have a bachelor degree. >> Okay, perfect. >> She initially misunderstands, but completes the task after clarification. Her admission of drinking wine led to sobriety tests, but her accusations of racism and refusal to comply shifted the encounter to an arrest. >> You know your alphabet from A to Z. like you're so and so. >> I have to ask you to me. It's part of the instructions. I have to ask you. >> Yes, I do. >> Everything that we're doing here is part of the standardized instruction >> that we ask everybody when we're doing DUI investigation. Okay. >> That's fine. It's fine. I got it. >> It's nothing personal against you. That's just the way it's written. >> That's fine. But yes, I do. >> Okay. What you're going to do is you're going to put your arms down to your side. You're going to maintain that position. I'm going to explain and demonstrate the task for you. If you don't understand the task, let me know and I'll explain it to you again. >> Y >> Okay. So, what you're going to do is from that position, you're going to tilt your head back. You're going to close your eyes and you're just going to recite the alphabet from A to Z without singing and without rushing. Okay? So, it's just going to be like this. A B C D all the way to Z. Okay. >> All right. >> You understand the task? >> I got it. >> All right. Go ahead. Tilt your head back. Close your eyes. A B C D E F G H I X Y Z. >> Okay. >> And I'm sorry, I'm freezing. >> All right. Step up here. Have a seat for me. >> Have a seat. Where? >> Right on the front of that car. All right. So, here's the deal. Is there someone that can come pick you up? >> Do you have someone that can pick you up? >> My son can. >> Your son can pick you up? Yeah. He hasn't been drinking tonight. >> No. My gosh. No. >> Okay. All right. Here's the deal. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Even though you argue with me all the way down here. >> I didn't argue with you. >> You told me you were being >> investigated for DUI because you're white. >> I I said that, but I didn't argue with you. >> I mean, that's kind of >> But I didn't argue with you. But I did say that >> Christina's shift from apologetic to combative suggests possible alcohol influence or emotional distress, though no mental health diagnosis is implied. >> So even though all that happened, okay, I don't think you're impaired to the point that I should arrest you, but you are impaired enough that I'm not going to let you drive away from here. So if you want to call your son and have him come pick your car up, pick you up, I will allow that to happen. What I will say is once you get to your hotel, okay, and he leaves you there, don't take your car out again. >> I I mean, I have no reason. I'm only here for my son. He plays football. Like, there's no other reason for me to be here. >> Okay. >> Yeah. There. >> All right. Where's your phone? >> In my car. >> All right. >> Or in my rental car. >> So, I'm going to I'm going to let you slide tonight. You're going to go home. You're not letting me slide. Like >> you are you're not getting arrested. You're not getting taken >> because there's like you just said there's not enough for you to do that. >> There's enough for me to tell you not to drive your vehicle. >> And I'm not going to drive it. That's why I called my son. >> That's why I said we're letting you slide. We're not taking not letting me slide. >> I'm not arresting you >> because you don't have enough. That's what you're saying. Like it doesn't make sense. >> Ma'am, why are you still arguing with me? I'm just telling you. >> I'm not arguing with you. I'm not arguing with you. You just said I'm letting her know that there's not enough for me to let you >> to take you to jail. >> There's enough to detain you and do the roadsides for >> anyway. You just said there was not enough. That's all I'm saying. >> Yeah. Which is why that's why you're not a handker, >> right? Okay. That's all I'm saying. So, you're not letting me slide. It's just that you don't have enough. That's all. >> And I'm not trying to argue with you. I'm just That's what you said to me. >> Okay. I mean, >> just understand. >> I don't know if it's a black and white factor here cuz you guys play that card, not in front of me, but you guys play that part. You don't even know who was pulling you off. >> Christina's invocation of George Floyd and claims of reverse discrimination reflect a deeper national tension. While everyone has a right to question law enforcement, dropping race accusations mid DUI stop without any legitimate basis is not only inflammatory, it undermines genuine cases of injustice. Every DUI stop isn't hypothetical. It's part of a statewide crisis. One less compliance lapse can mean one less statistic in those fatality counts. And when hit and runs soar to over 100,000 a year, you're not just risking yourself, you're endangering everyone else on the road. >> But now that you did, but now that you did, now that you did, I know >> that's so disrespectful on so many levels. You don't know. >> It is for you to say that to him. It is for you to say that to me. You don't know my background. You don't know his background. >> First of all, I wasn't talking to you. >> I don't care. You're talking to my partner. Let's get that first fact. Second of all, when he says you slide, he should have wrote you a bunch of Don't go on the road. Let me get my phone sit down in the car. Let me get my phone. No. Don't disrespect me. >> Because you think you can do that to me. Nope. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. >> All right. Just have a seat in your car until your rides get here. >> No. You're going to keep talking, right? >> Whole thing is recorded. >> All right. Just have a seat. Have a seat on the passenger. >> But don't disrespect me. I did not disrespect. >> She was not disrespect. >> I did not disrespect you. Don't disrespect me. >> Ma'am, >> do not. >> Christina, >> have a seat on the passenger side. Out of the road. Come on. This or come on this side. >> I'm out of the road. Your car is far over the way for me. >> Yeah. It's keeping people from running us over. Come on over here. >> Disrespect you for a second. Come over here out of the roadway, Christina. >> The situation escalates when Christina accuses an officer of disrespect, claiming the officer got in her face and said, "You don't know me. You don't know my background." The officer denies this and the argument intensifies with Christina insisting the interaction is recorded and will come back. Let's get something straight. You don't have to agree with law enforcement to comply with them. You have rights and you also have responsibilities. Under US law, officers can briefly detain you for questioning if they have reasonable suspicion. And in many states, you're legally required to identify yourself when asked. Refusing to comply, escalating emotionally, or let's be blunt, throwing a caring grade tantrum doesn't just stall the process. It adds charges like resisting without violence, a misdemeanor in most states, obstruction of justice, or worse, battery on a law enforcement officer if things get physical. And here's the kicker. None of those help your case. They just give officers legal justification to detain you longer and push harder. >> We're not going to argue. >> No. No. I'm going to record all of it. >> You can record, but we're not going to argue on. >> But I did not disrespect you for a second. I did not. >> Okay. >> And she wants to jump in. No. No matter. No. I'm going to record. >> Everything here is recorded. The whole interaction's been recorded. >> That's fine. Yep. That's fine. George Floyd. Yep. Mhm. Don't disrespect me. I did not. I did not disrespect you. Don't Don't you dare disrespect me. Yes, you did. >> No, I did not. >> No argue. >> No, I did. Oh, now you want to be quiet, right? Yep. Uh-huh. I'm going to tell you what. You don't know who I am. And but you're about to find out. >> It's funny now. Now you're recording. You're You're going to be quiet >> cuz you told me I don't know your background. You're in my face pointing your finger in my face. You were It's funny how now you step back. [Applause] Funny how you did that. And I did not disrespect you. From the second you pulled me over, I did not disrespect you. >> Okay. If you don't think so, then that's your opinion. But >> I did not show your video. I did not I did not disrespect you. >> That's your opinion. It's not my opinion. It's facts. I did not disrespect you. >> The like I said, the entire thing is recorded. >> That's right. So, look at it. Look at it. >> But amazing how now she's quiet. Amazing. Cuz this is not the end. You're going to hear it. The way you just got in my face and you you just literally got in my face and you were like, "You don't know me. You don't know my background." >> She didn't get in. >> Oh, yes, she did. >> Can you stop? >> Wait, did you not get in my face and say, "You don't know me. You don't know my background." >> Yeah, you did. >> So funny how now I'm recording and you want to be quiet. So, get your video cam and make sure you got all of that. >> I got everything. >> Make sure you do cuz I'm going to tell you what, it's going to come back. Okay. >> From Florida to California, officers are trained to deescalate, but they're also trained to respond when situations go sideways. Once you're shouting, resisting, or blaming systemic racism mid-sbriety test while doing the ABCs backwards, yeah, you're not helping yourself. If you truly believe your rights were violated, comply now, complain later, file a complaint, lawyer up, or let the footage speak for itself. Because let's face it, the viral video rarely favors the screamer in cuffs. And that's about it for now. If you enjoyed this video, make sure to like, subscribe, and leave a comment on what you would like to watch next. [Music]