Woman in School Car Line Charged with DUI

Greenville Police charged a woman with driving under the influence following an accident in a school car line as she waited to pick up her child.

Marcia Peyrouse Gaines, 49, was arrested following the accident at Greenville Middle Academy on Lowndes Avenue. Police say Gaines had a blood alcohol level of .23 after failing a field sobriety test.

The Greenville Police report says two cars collided while in the car line at around 2:45pm Wednesday. The officer says he asked both drivers to park in an adjacent lot while he filled out an accident report.

The officer says he asked Gaines for her driver's license, but she handed him a credit or debit card instead. The officer said he smelled the odor of alcohol and said the woman was "unsteady on her feet" in the report.

A second GPD officer came to the scene and led Gaines through a series of tests to judge her field sobriety. Police said she failed those tests and was arrested.

Police say Gaines registered a BAC level of .23 later at the Greenville Law Enforcement Center. She was to be arraigned Wednesday evening by an administrative judge.

She is not listed as currently being at the Greenville County Detention Center according to their website.

The Greenville Police traffic report says Gaines was in the traffic circle and attempted to pull out from behind a car in front of her, but struck that vehicle on the rear bumper. There were no injuries in the collision.

Signs of Intoxication

.02 — 0.03 BAC: No loss of coordination, slight euphoria and loss of shyness. Depressant effects are not apparent. Mildly relaxed and maybe a little lightheaded.

0.04 — 0.06 BAC: Feeling of well-being, relaxation, lower inhibitions, sensation of warmth. Euphoria. Some minor impairment of reasoning and memory, lowering of caution. Your behavior may become exaggerated and emotions intensified (Good emotions are better, bad emotions are worse)

0.07 — 0.09 BAC: Slight impairment of balance, speech, vision, reaction time, and hearing. Euphoria. Judgment and self-control are reduced, and caution, reason and memory are impaired (in some* states .08 is legally impaired and it is illegal to drive at this level). You will probably believe that you are functioning better than you really are. ( * —As of July, 2004 ALL states had passed .08 BAC Per Se Laws. The final one took effect in August of 2005.)

0.10 — 0.125 BAC: Significant impairment of motor coordination and loss of good judgment. Speech may be slurred; balance, vision, reaction time and hearing will be impaired. Euphoria. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle at this level of intoxication in all states.

0.13 — 0.15 BAC: Gross motor impairment and lack of physical control. Blurred vision and major loss of balance. Euphoria is reduced and dysphoria* is beginning to appear. Judgment and perception are severely impaired.
( * —Dysphoria: An emotional state of anxiety, depression, or unease.)

0.16 — 0.19 BAC: Dysphoria predominates, nausea may appear. The drinker has the appearance of a "sloppy drunk."

0.20 BAC: Feeling dazed/confused or otherwise disoriented. May need help to stand/walk. If you injure yourself you may not feel the pain. Some people have nausea and vomiting at this level. The gag reflex is impaired and you can choke if you do vomit. Blackouts are likely at this level so you may not remember what has happened.

0.25 BAC: All mental, physical and sensory functions are severely impaired. Increased risk of asphyxiation from choking on vomit and of seriously injuring yourself by falls or other accidents.

0.30 BAC: STUPOR. You have little comprehension of where you are. You may pass out suddenly and be difficult to awaken.

0.35 BAC: Coma is possible. This is the level of surgical anesthesia.

0.40 BAC and up: Onset of coma, and possible death due to respiratory arrest.

View Larger Map