Alleged to be DUI on her way to the women’s shelter, driver spends the night in jail instead

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An allegedly intoxicated woman initially refused to stop after the patrol vehicle behind her car had its emergency lights activated. She finally did so after pulling into the parking lot of a closed liquor store last Tuesday.

As Olympia police approached Suzanne Pierce, 57, they discovered multiple open cans of beer in the passenger seat of her car and in the cup holder of the center console at 1:37 a.m. on June 15, 2021.

Pierce told police that she had been at the Union Gospel Mission with some friends and was trying to get to the women’s shelter for the night. According to the police report, Pierce told OPD that she was speeding because no one was out on the road.

Pierce did not stop when an Olympia police officer activated their emergency lights. But she did stop at the intersection of 4th Ave and Plum where the light was red, before making a left turn without signaling after it turned green.

Pierce pulled into the T Brothers Lodge liquor store at 417 Plum St SE, which had been closed since 9 p.m. that night.

When asked for her vehicle registration or insurance, Pierce stated to OPD “I do, but its old.”

A preliminary field breathalyzer sample from Pierce gave a reading of 0.112.

Pierce was transported from the liquor store to the next adjacent block, where the Olympia Police Department is located. Pierce blew a 0.094 on the Draeger. The legal limit is 0.08 in Washington State.

Pierce was booked into the Olympia jail for driving under the influence and given several traffic citations, including operating a motor vehicle without insurance, failure to signal, defective equipment (third brake light didn’t work) and possessing an open alcoholic container in a vehicle.

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