Update: The Miami Herald has identified the officer as Sarah-Anne Hoyle, 24, who worked the 3-11 p.m. shift in Coconut Grove.
By Carlos Miller
She was dressed in strappy heels, jeans and a black t-shirt when she wrecked a marked Miami police car at 4:50 a.m. Wednesday.
Witnesses said she slammed into a van, then stumbled out of the car. When a uniformed officer arrived on the scene and asked for identification, she reached into a gray butterfly-print purse, allowing a police radio to fall out.
Police told witnesses that she may have had a diabetic shock episode.
But at least one witness was under the impression that she was drunk.
Nevertheless, police waited three hours – after they gave her something to eat – to administer a field sobriety test, according to The Miami Herald.
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33 responses so far ↓
1 Ms Calabaza // Feb 25, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Not kosher. Sounds like protecting their own …
2 Duane Kerzic // Feb 25, 2009 at 6:49 PM
To bad you weren’t there to take a photo.
3 Carlos Miller // Feb 25, 2009 at 6:50 PM
At that ungodly hour, I may have been doing my own stumbling.
4 Doug Peterson // Feb 25, 2009 at 7:37 PM
Diabetic shock is possible. I have seen it first hand and it is easy to think the person is drunk. Still, waiting 3 hours before giving the field sobriety test is wrong.
But then again, the field sobriety test is not very reliable either.
5 Simon Jester // Feb 25, 2009 at 11:37 PM
Diabetic shock? They don’t make their officers take a physical?
6 Carlos Miller // Feb 26, 2009 at 12:15 AM
Here’s one of the most interesting comments from the Herald article.
CintiaShand wrote on 02/25/2009 02:35:07 PM:
Since we readers were not at the scene and we did not witness the behavior of the officer involved in the accident it is imprudent for us to judge who is at fault. It DOES SEEM quite inappropriate and unorthodox to give someone food and WAIT 3 HOURS before giving them a field sobriety. If it was you or me, Joe-Citizen, we would have had a breathalyzer test done on the scene right away, and no food nor assistance such as as waiting for our alcohol or drug level to stabilize or allow our metabolism to change the outcome of such test. Only in the City of Miami does an officer, who is out of uniform, get such preferential treatment. IF she was ill and was in diabetic stress, she should have been transported to the nearest hospital where blood would have been drawn and there would be no doubt as to the true nature of the cause of the accident. I say it’s a case of the Police protecting their own.”
7 Carlos Miller // Feb 26, 2009 at 12:51 AM
Just added a feature which allows readers to edit their comments for the first ten minutes after they posted it, in case they have misspellings or need to clarify something.
8 Doug Peterson // Feb 26, 2009 at 1:59 AM
Simon, I have no idea if a diabetic would be able to pass the physical. I’m just pointing out that it is possible.
I do believe the Miami Police are doing something fishy.
9 Andrew DeFilippis // Feb 26, 2009 at 2:19 AM
How about, police officer goes into diabetic shock after drinking large amounts of carb rich alcoholic drinks?
Think it fits?…
10 Doug Peterson // Feb 26, 2009 at 5:03 AM
Hmm, that just might be it.
11 Duane Kerzic // Feb 26, 2009 at 10:04 AM
It’s possible she was drunk and it’s possible she had a diabetic shock. I’d think diabetics are allowed to be police officers and maybe that’s how they came up with this story. If she’s not a diabetic, which should be well documented, that story is out the window.
As has been pointed out if she was really having a diabetic problem that caused the crash she should have been taken to the hospital.
There is more here then anyone is telling. Why is a young officer driving a marked police car with a radio not in uniform. Mention of her radio but not of her weapon.
Another case of police bringing distrust upon themselves for not acting properly.
12 JC // Feb 27, 2009 at 4:51 AM
Wow Carlos thats the most interesting thing you can find in the article? How about doing some research. Ask anyone who has been arrested for DUI how long it takes. I’ll tell you it takes forever. You have do all the silly tests then you have to sign all these forms then you have to wait for the machine. Start to finish it can take way more than three hours. Heres some more homework for you. Call some police departments and ask them if they have portable DUI machines to test “on the scene” like the Herald said. Use some common sense, if they were trying to cover up for “one of their own” they would have put her in a car and taken her home, not to the station to give her a DUI test. My guess is she really had a diabetic problem and they did the DUI test to dispell any accusations later about covering up. If she would have blown over the limit into the DUI maching the headlines would have said Officer Arrested not suspended. Seriously, am I crazy here?? Or does everyone here just love to hate cops….
13 Duane Kerzic // Feb 27, 2009 at 9:00 AM
JC,
At least you man up to your DUI. While I haven’t been arrested I got field tested once.
The point was it took 3 hours for a field sobriety test to be administered. How long did it take the police to give you the heel to toe, touch your nose, stand on one leg, say the alphabet, eye nastigmas tests? Did they give you food? Did they let you wait 3 hours? That was the point.
There is no mention of any breath tests of any kind being administered by the police.
Police do have portable breath test devices. They even build them into the flashlights they carry. However they are considered presumptive tests and are not admissible in court.
No we don’t love to hate the police. We love to hate police that do things wrong.
14 John // Feb 27, 2009 at 11:13 AM
“if they were trying to cover up for one of their own they would have put her in a car and taken her home”.
JC,
Once the car was crashed they couldn’t take her home because there is evidence and witnesses.
Have a buddy who had just completed the police academy of a major western city and who was just starting to solo when he pulled over an obvious DUI subject. It was the lead training officer for the city. The guy who just trained him. He made a rookie mistake and called the guys wife to come and pick him up. The press ended up catching on to it and he was crucified. Ran off the force. What happened to the A-hole training officer? Not a damned thing.
15 Ned Brown Jr // Feb 27, 2009 at 11:55 AM
The police are at war with AMERICA. They are their own “PARBARIANS-WARRIORS against society consumers ! Replace aggressive pigs
16 Jason Land // Feb 27, 2009 at 7:29 PM
I’m a diabetic and when I have my more extreme episodes of low blood sugar, people can sometimes think I’m drunk. One time I was in a situation where I had to drive while recovering hypoglycemia and I felt like my driving was on par with a drunk.
However, it’d be impossible to have that sort of shock and be drunk at the same time. Drinking increases blood sugar, and while that can be harmful to your health if it goes too far up, it’s not a debilitating condition. Diabetics only resemble drunks when low.
Also I think a diabetic could be a police officer. I’m not sure. But there are marathon runners and olympic athletes who are.
I’m not defending the police, but I’m just letting you know.
17 jones // Mar 1, 2009 at 2:04 PM
I’ve dealt with many people who looked and acted drunk but just had low blood sugar. They gave her a breath test 3 hours later. If she was drunk at the time of the accident to the point that she was stumbling around then she would still be drunk 3 hours later.
18 JC // Mar 5, 2009 at 2:23 PM
John,
You are naive, the police can do whatever they want. Thats why Carlos has this site. Try to keep up.
Ned,
You are crazy… Parbarians??
Jason & Jones,
Very honest. Glad to see they have some of those people on here.
Carlos,
Still waiting for you to chime in.
19 Carlos Miller // Mar 5, 2009 at 2:28 PM
JC,
I only wrote what was reported. I’m still waiting for an update from the Herald.
20 Moto // Mar 24, 2009 at 11:06 AM
Any update on this?
21 John // Apr 7, 2009 at 1:58 AM
What the hell ever happened with this?
22 Carlos Miller // Apr 7, 2009 at 2:01 AM
The Miami Herald apparently dropped it. I even sent an email to the reporter about a week ago inquiring but did not get a response.
I guess I will have to call the PD myself and find out.
23 IVXX // Apr 22, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Wow…almost 2 months later and still no updates. I’ve searched and all i can find are the same 2 articles from February. Apparently it was swept under the rug…
24 Carlos Miller // Apr 22, 2009 at 7:22 PM
She resigned.
http://carlosmiller.com/2009/04/22/miami-police-officer-who-crashed-vehicle-has-resigned/
25 Carlos // May 7, 2009 at 12:36 PM
I recently read the article and recall the story when it first broke. Interesting how presenting the odor of alcohol does not constitute probable cause, yet in other cases glossy and red eyes are grounds for a field sobriety test…even if it is at 11 o’clock at night and after 10 hour work shift.
Will DUI task forces begin handing out apples to suspects at random stops now?
26 Carlos // May 7, 2009 at 12:51 PM
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1035925.html
Here is the recent update.
She will not face criminal charges even after presenting acohol level of 0.42 …a couple of hours later….and some food…
27 DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Instructor // Jun 8, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Ok, here we go.
First, if this was a civilian who claimed that it was diabetic episode and the police didnt give proper treatment (food, etc.) you would be all over this.
Second.
As a FEDERAL SFST instructor NOTHING sobers you up.
NOT food.
NOT Coffee.
Allowing someone to eat doesnt change the Blood alcohol content.
If you eat prior to drinking that is a different story due to the pyloric muscle controlling access to the intestine track.
But as the alcohol was already in the system, eating food AFTER you drink does nothing for you.
3 hours is acceptable for a test. Actually during an arrest and tow of a vehicle this is a common time.
Seems like you want to get a corrupt cop so bad, you dont mind destroying a few good cops in the process.
I can understand what you hate, a lying cop who ruins people’s lives. Just don’t turn into what you hate in that effort.
28 Carlos Miller // Jun 8, 2009 at 11:39 PM
DWI Dude,
Please read the follow up. It turns out, police waitedsix hours to give her a Breathalyzer. And she still had a .047 BAC.
You say nothing sobers you up. You forgot about time.
Six hours and she still had a .047 BAC?
http://carlosmiller.com/2009/05/07/miami-police-officer-was-most-likely-drunk-when-she-crashed-the-squad-car/
29 DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Instructor // Jun 8, 2009 at 11:42 PM
Got it,
I was responding to the 3 hours listed above.
Six hours.. different story, and yes only time will sober you up. Not an apple as listed in the story. Their is a formula used to figure out what she was.. if you care I will do the math.
30 Carlos Miller // Jun 8, 2009 at 11:43 PM
Please do. I will include it in the article.
31 DWI Detection and Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Instructor // Jun 8, 2009 at 11:45 PM
10-4 I will pull the federal manual and have it for you. I will also explain how to do the formula and who authorized it. look for it in the morning long day.
32 Carlos Miller // Jun 8, 2009 at 11:46 PM
Thank you!
33 Duane Kerzic // Jun 9, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Hey Testing Instructor,
Thanks for posting and being willing to share the formula and other info about it with us.
I know some of us might sound too excited about getting a bad cop sometimes but I think what we really want is the openness that you are showing us. I think people are tolerant of honest mistakes but when things don’t seem honest or appear to be covered up that’s what gets their hackles up.
When it first came out that she might be having a problem with diabetes I was willing to give that balloon a chance to float. I understood as you pointed out that eating wouldn’t make a difference in her BAL. If she had low blood sugar and she ate something there should have been a quick improvement in her condition and that change should have been apparent in no time. So I was a bit concerned about them taking 6 hours to do the test.
I understand and agree that 3 hours from getting caught to getting a test done is a normal and regular amount of time. Nothing goes quickly when you want it to. Kind of made me laugh when we had someone posting here how they were going go do multiple DUI’s in one night. I was thinking he must be psychic and have the paperwork filled out before he caught the person.
Thanks again for being willing to do the work and share with us.
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