Shocking police bodycam footage was released of Gina LaPlaca, the mayor of Lumberton, New Jersey, as she was arrested for allegedly driving drunk with her toddler in her car.
The footage shows LaPlaca staggering before she begins crying while being detained and charged with driving under the influence (DUI) and endangering the welfare of a child after she was allegedly seen driving recklessly on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.
“You alright?” a police officer can be heard asking LaPlaca as he approaches the woman in her driveway at around 5:40 p.m., according to video footage obtained by NBC10 Philadelphia.
Watch police cam video here:
Officers then wait as the 45-year-old Democrat mayor takes her young son out of the vehicle, who she had reportedly just picked up from daycare. LaPlaca is then seen appearing to stumble or lose her balance multiple times.
Meanwhile, the passenger side-view mirror on her car is visibly smashed, with a wire hanging from it, gently blowing in the wind.
“We got lots of calls where we had multiple claims that you ran a red light and you were swerving,” an officer informs the New Jersey mayor, to which she replies, “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“What happened to the mirror?” a second officer asks, gesturing toward the destroyed sideview mirror on LaPlaca’s vehicle.
The Lumberton mayor then tells authorities that her mirror was damaged, adding that she had hit something.
“I don’t know,” she said.
Police officers then make LaPlaca perform a field sobriety test, which she apparently fails, as the mayor can be seen stumbling again after being asked to stand on one leg.
An officer then places LaPlaca in handcuffs as she whimpers, according to the police bodycam footage.
“I’m sorry,” the New Jersey mayor says to officers.
After searching her car, police reportedly found a water bottle with alcohol in it, as well as a small bottle of liquor.
LaPlaca has since been released from jail, and is set to appear in court on April 28.
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
