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Around 4:45 AM on February 19, 2022, Trooper Robert Varga with the New Jersey State Police observed a westbound white 2007 Kia Optima that was swerving between lanes near milepost 1.3 of the Atlantic City Expressway. The driver’s actions caused her vehicle to strike the center barrier, resulting in severe front-end damages and airbag deployment inside the vehicle. A second motor vehicle accident involving 2 other cars subsequently occurred as a result of her crash.

Trooper Varga drove towards the scene and immediately made contact with the occupants of the other vehicles and called for ambulance to arrive on scene. One of the drivers had visible facial lacerations while the other was complaining of pains. Both individuals were later transported to the hospital for further evaluation. After getting witness statements from the occupants of another car, he walked towards the Kia and made contact with the driver, who was identified as 21-year-old Alexis Rosario. She told him that she had just left work at A'Dam Good Sports Bar & Grill in the Tropicana Casino.

As Trooper Varga was speaking with Alexis, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Her boss at work even arrived at the scene of the crash, but she was told to wait in her vehicle. Alexis initially denied consuming any alcohol earlier that evening, before admitting that she may have unknowingly drank something with alcohol in it. Based on his suspicion of impairment, Alexis was asked to perform field sobriety exercises.

The first exercise was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Trooper Varga observed the lack of smooth pursuit, distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation, and the onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn. During the Walk and Turn test, Alexis failed to touch heel-to-toe on each step and turned improperly. The third exercise was the One Leg Stand test. During the One Leg Stand, Alexis failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion and did not count aloud as instructed. The final exercise was the recitation of the alphabet from “B” to “W.” Trooper Varga then repeated the HGN test to confirm his suspicion of impairment.

Based on the motor vehicle accident involving another multiple vehicles, her indicators of impairment, her admission to possibly consuming alcohol earlier that evening, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Trooper Varga placed Alexis under arrest for driving under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law. Trooper Varga initially transported Alexis to the NJSP Atlantic City Expressway Station.

At the station, Alexis was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, and agreed to submit breath samples. Her breath test results indicated a BAC level of 0.12%, which was above the legal limit of 0.08%. When the officers were finished with processing her, Alexis was released to Justyna Kuzian pending her court appearance after she signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Alexis’s behalf.

Alexis was issued the following traffic citations: 
-Operating under the influence (39:4-50)
-Reckless Driving (39:4-96)
-Careless driving (39:4-97)
-Traffic on marked lanes – unsafe lane change (39:4-88B)

Court records indicate that on July 26, 2022, Alexis pleaded guilty to operating under the influence. As a result of her guilty plea, Alexis had to spend 12 hours at an intoxicated driver resource center, use an ignition interlock device for 7 months, and pay a total of $740 in fines. The other 3 traffic citations were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. 
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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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