Bodycam DUI Arrest - Pullman Officer Padrta Makes Another DUI Arrest

On September 1, 2024, Pullman Officer Padrta observed a Nissan pickup truck driving without a brake light. He initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, which was being driven by a 21-year-old woman. She claimed to be the designated driver for her friends, which included the owner of the vehicle. However, she also admitted to consuming alcohol during the evening. As a result, Officer Padrta asked her to step out of the vehicle so that he could perform the horizontal gaze nystagmus test on her eyes. Officer Padrta indicated that he could immediately observe nystagmus in the woman's eyes, so she asked her to perform the whole series of voluntary field sobriety tests. After a discussion of what "voluntary" meant, the woman agreed to perform the tests. However, when Officer Padrta asked her to submit to a portable breath test, she declined. That resulted in her being arrested for DUI. At the Pullman police station, she was afforded the opportunity to speak with an attorney and she then agreed to submit to an evidential breath test. The result was 0.063% BAC. Despite being under the limit of 0.08%, she was still charged with DUI. Her case is still open and all suspects are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.