Nun Blames Ambien For DUI
Nun Blames Ambien For DUI: Sister Miller works as a high school librarian and theology teacher at a Catholic School. On November 15, 2015 she apparently drove her Chevy Impala into the side of a Washington Township, Gloucester County, NJ auto repair business. The police report, filed by the investigating police, indicate that she had slurred speech, bloodshot eyes and staggered once she exited her vehicle. Sister Miller was dressed in her blue habit and black veil at the time of the accident. During her almost six hour bench trial, heard by Municipal Court Judge Martin Whitcraft, defense counsel offered evidence supporting their theory that Sister Miller was under the influence of Ambien which explained her behavior, not alcohol alone. The police retorted that Sister Miller did not report her use of Ambien to them reasoning that if she did not disclose every possible reason for her behavior it cannot be true. The police did not assume any responsibility for adequately questioning Sister Miller about prescribed medications she was presenting provided.
Nun Blames Ambien For DUI: Sister Miller’s defense counsel also offered evidence that she had a history of sleepwalking, had been abused by a family member and suffers from chronic insomnia and arthritis. Miller testified that she did not remember a four hour period after she took an Ambien, drank a glass of altar wine, and then went to bed in her room at St. Veronica’s, the North Philadelphia Convent which has been her home for over 15 years. Sister Miller continued that she had consumed two small glasses of wine earlier at a book fair in Haverford.
Sister Miller’s next recollection is waking up in the Washington Township police station, 20 miles from the convent. Sister Miller was completely disoriented at her situation since none of it, the location, the handcuffs or the habit made sense. Police charged Sister Miller with driving under the influence, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident. According to police Sister Miller backed her Impala into the front door of the Meineke Auto Shop. Another motorist called 911 after she saw Sister Miller’s vehicle weaving. The police report indicates that Sister Miller failed two sobriety tests and declined a third. The Officers indicate that her eyes were watery and droopy, that her speech was slow and that her balance was off. The Judge found the breath test unreliable as Sister Miller was not observed for 20 minutes as required by statute; however, he found her guilty of driving under the influence. #NunBlamesAmbienForDUI
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