Crime and Public Safety | Off-duty NYPD cop busted for blood alcohol…

News Crime and Public Safety

Off-duty NYPD cop busted for blood alcohol level 3 times legal limit

An off-duty police officer faces drunk driving charges after being found in her vehicle with several liquor bottles, officials said. (Michael Ip for New York Daily News)

By Rocco Parascandola | rparascandola@nydailynews.com | New York Daily News and Thomas Tracy | ttracy@nydailynews.com | New
York Daily News
PUBLISHED: April 4, 2024 at 10:41 a.m. | UPDATED: April 4, 2024 at 10:44 a.m.

Loading your audio article

An NYPD housing cop was arrested for drunk driving after police found her off duty in her car
surrounded by liquor bottles — and with a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit,
prosecutors said Thursday.

Officer Jennifer Melendez’s blood-alcohol content was a whopping .248 when police found her alone
in her vehicle near Second Ave. and E. 120th St. in East Harem Tuesday evening.

The cop’s personal vehicle was parked with its front tires on the sidewalk with its engine running and
headlights on, authorities say. That drew the attention of police, who found Melendez, 39, in the
passenger seat.

“I pulled over,” she told police, according to court papers.

Officers found a half-empty bottle of Tequila on the floor of the front passenger side. There was an
empty can of beer and an empty bottle of vodka in the back seat, prosecutors said.

Police charged her with drunk driving and aggravated driving while intoxicated. She was released
without bail after a brief arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court Wednesday.

Melendez is currently assigned to Public Service Area 6 , which covers NYCHA housing complexes in
Harlem, according to the website 50-a.org. It was not immediately clear how long she has been
working for the department.

Her attorney Michael Martinez declined to comment when reached Thursday.

With a blood-alcohol content level of .25, most people pass out If a person still happens to be
.

conscious, vomiting becomes very likely as well as a complete loss of physical control. Such high level
of inebriation can even lead to asphyxiation if the drinker loses consciousness and chokes on their
own vomit.

With Molly Crane-Newman

More in Crime and Public Safety

Harlem property manager stole Infant remains found at West Palm Teen arrested in wild 23-on-one NYC settles Rikers Island wrongful
rent from low-income tenants: Beach, Florida waste plant stabbing near Times Square death suit for $2.6M
authorities migrant shelter

2024 April 4

Tribune Publishing Company Info Subscriber Services

Chicago Tribune About Us Archives
The Morning Call Careers
The Daily Press Help Center
The Virginian Pilot Manage Web Notifications
Orlando Sentinel Place an ad
Sun-Sentinel Media Kit
Hartford Courant Privacy Policy
Studio 1847 Site Map

Subscriber Terms and Conditions Cookie Policy Cookie Preferences California Notice at Collection CA Notice of Financial Incentive Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
Copyright © 2024 New York Daily News