New Jersey mayor Gina LaPlaca has been arrested for allegedly driving in an intoxicated state. The 45-year-old Lumberton Township leader has been charged with driving under the influence (DUI), reckless driving and endangering the welfare of a child, according to The NY Post.
An eyewitness captured a video of her driving recklessly before she nearly crashed into a utility pole on St. Patrick’s Day. She was on her way back from daycare after picking up her two-year-old son. The clip obtained by police showed the toddler sitting in the seat. From the clip, the police tracked LaPlaca’s car to her home.
After reportedly confessing to drinking and driving, she was subjected to a field sobriety test. The police found an open container of alcohol in her car, the report said.
LaPlaca’s husband, Jason Carty, defended his wife, saying she was battling addiction and receiving the necessary support. He also urged those criticising the mother of his children to refrain from it.
“Millions of Americans struggle with addiction and never get help. Gina LaPlaca is someone who has struggled and is now getting the help she needs. Please ignore the exaggerated political hyperbole and keep in mind her passion for helping others. This should not erase all the things she has accomplished for our community,” Jason Carty wrote on Facebook.
LaPlaca’s arrest came after she resigned as business administrator for Neptune Township on March 10 due to “the changing political environment.” She was elected to the Lumberton Township Committee in 2020 and was reelected in 2023.
In 2021, she became mayor for a one-year term and was re-elected for the following two years.
She has also worked as an assistant business administrator in Neptune Township before moving up to the business administrator position in 2022. She also has experience working in the New Jersey General Assembly Majority Office and in the private sector with companies like Verizon and Anheuser-Busch.
She is set to appear in court on April 28 to face the charges against her.