'Get a real job you f***ing d******d': Footage shows drunk woman raging at cop after arrest for riding e-scooter in the wrong direction
An Albuquerque woman was arrested for allegedly riding her e-scooter in the wrong direction while intoxicated. The police department has now released lapel cam footage of the woman yelling expletives at a police officer.
The woman, 27-year-old Lily Romero, became the first resident of the New Mexico city to be arrested for DWI on an electric scooter just days after Albuquerque rolled out its rent-a-scooter program, according to a Daily Mail report.
The e-scooters, operated by Boston-based firm Zagster, are required to stay in bike lanes and only allowed to go up to 15 miles per hour, according to state law. If there aren't any bike lanes, the vehicles must be ridden on sidewalks. Furthermore, all e-scooter riders are required to obey traffic laws that apply to all vehicles. However, Romero was shocked to learn about these rules after being pulled over on May 29.
Romero was driving an e-scooter in the opposite direction on a one-way street, thereby prompting authorities to pull her over. When confronted by an officer, Romero told him she was returning from a bar, where she had two beers. Officers at the scene alleged in a police complaint they could smell alcohol on her breath.
The footage shows an officer trying to make Romero understand why she was being pulled over despite riding on an e-scooter. "If I fail this I’m going to get a DWI? Is that what you’re saying?" she asks the officer. In response, the officer tells her an investigation will ensue and that she may be charged for breaking traffic rules. "Are you joking me?" she says. "Look me in the eyes and tell me."
The officer then explains how she broke New Mexico law by driving the wrong way down a one-way street. "Ma'am, you can't be driving that on the roadway in the wrong direction of travel," he tells her, proceeding to give her a field sobriety test. "I cannot f*****g fathom this," she says. "I'm riding a scooter because I don't wanna drive drunk and you're gonna give me a sobriety test?"
"Absolutely," the officer responds. The officer then holds up a light and asks Romero to follow it with her eyes, to which she once again asks "Why are you doing this to me?"
"Because I already told you Lily. You’re driving a vehicle that under state statute is considered a motor vehicle because it's propelled by gas or electric," the officer says. "You’re not used to this," she argues. "You don’t live in a big city. You’re from f*****g Albuquerque."
"It doesn't matter what city I live in," the officer says. "I'm applying New Mexico State law." He then explains to Romero he would have to place her under arrest if she refused to comply with the sobriety test. However, the woman remains defiant. "Get a real job you f****** d*** head. You’re a f*****g idiot," she tells the officer as he puts the cuffs on her.
According to KRQE-TV, a breathalyzer test taken at a local jail showed Romero's blood contained more alcohol than twice the drinking limit. Court records showed that this was Romero's first DWI.