A former mayor, now a township committee member, admitted to a harrowing act of endangerment: driving under the influence with her two-year-old son as a passenger. Gina LaPlaca, of Lumberton Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to child abuse and DUI, yet will avoid jail time and remain in public office.
The incident unfolded on a March evening after LaPlaca picked up her young son from daycare. Witnesses reported erratic driving, narrowly avoiding a collision with a utility pole. Police arrived at her home to find LaPlaca struggling to maintain her balance, captured on unsettling bodycam footage.
The evidence painted a grim picture. LaPlaca’s blood alcohol content registered at 0.30%, almost four times New Jersey’s legal limit. She confessed to consuming “a little bit of vodka” before driving, and an open container of alcohol was discovered in her vehicle.
This wasn’t an isolated lapse in judgment. Records revealed a prior arrest in 2023, charging LaPlaca with assault. Despite the severity of the recent offenses, a Superior Court judge opted for a three-year pretrial intervention program, sparing her imprisonment.
The agreement mandates attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, the installation of an ignition interlock device, and strict adherence to probation terms. Any violation could trigger prosecution on the child abuse charge, a constant shadow over her future.
Though ousted as mayor earlier this year, LaPlaca continues to serve on the Lumberton Township Committee and is reportedly pursuing reelection. The decision to allow her to remain in a position of public trust has sparked intense debate and scrutiny.
The county prosecutor acknowledged the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the importance of rehabilitation through the PTI program. LaPlaca herself issued a statement expressing profound remorse, calling her actions “wrong, dangerous, and inexcusable.”
“I drove while intoxicated with my child in the car – a choice that could have caused irreversible harm,” she stated. “That reality is something I will live with, and learn from, for the rest of my life.” The weight of those words hangs heavy, a stark reminder of the potential consequences of her choices.
