Around 12:50 AM on April 23, 2025, Patrolman Michael Spark with the West Long Branch Police Department observed a black 2016 Jeep Patriot stopped well past the stop line at SR 36 and Monmouth Road. He turned around and began following the vehicle as the driver traveled west on SR 36. As he followed the vehicle, he observed the driver swerving across lanes and activated his emergency lights to initiate a traffic stop. He made contact with the driver of the Jeep Patriot, who was identified as Amber Poppe. As he was speaking with Amber, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Amber told him that she was headed home after leaving Jack’s in Long Branch, New Jersey. She admitted to consuming 2 drinks earlier that evening. Based on his suspicion of impairment, Amber was asked to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises. The first exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Amber failed to touch heel-to-toe on each step, turned improperly, and failed to keep her arms at her sides and. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand test, Amber failed to raise her foot in the prior fashion, did not count in the correct sequence, and put her foot down before the test was complete. Based on her erratic driving, the odor of alcohol, her admission to consuming alcohol earlier that evening, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Amber was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. After she was placed under arrest and placed in the patrol car, her vehicle was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law. Patrolman Spark transported Amber to the West Long Branch Police Department for further processing. At the station, Amber was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, and she agreed to submit breath samples. Sergeant Robert Knott operated the machine. Her Alcotest results eventually indicated a BAC level of 0.185%, which was more than double the legal limit of 0.08%. After they were finished processing Amber, she was released to her boyfriend pending her court appearance after he signed the Potential Liability Warning on Amber’s behalf. She was issued the following citations: Operating under the influence, reckless driving, and traffic on marked lanes ---------------------------------------------- Please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and consider supporting this channel (email us for more information). Our content is shared for educational and news gathering purposes. We are in compliance with YouTube's Fair Use Policy because we edit several long clips into a concise story. This is similar to other law enforcement channels on YouTube. All videos and case documents were obtained pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. (P.L. 2024, c.16). Defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty. The New Jersey Supreme Court has previously affirmed in Salzano v. North Jersey Media Group, 993 A.2d 778 (2010) that “The fair-report privilege reflects the judgment that the need, in a self-governing society, for free-flowing information about matters of public interest outweighs concerns over the uncompensated injury to a person's reputation.” This video advances a compelling public interest. The summary of events was based on records that are “open to public view through open access to public records” as defined in the Salzano case. In Ramos v. Flowers, 429 N.J. Super. 13, the Appellate Division of the Superior Court has also affirmed the right to film law enforcement interactions.

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