'My Dad's a Sheriff' Woman Hits Traffic Pole While Texting & Driving

11:00 PM on December 28, 2022, officers from the Howell Township Police Department responded to a reported hit-and-run accident on Lanes Mill Road near Lowe’s. Upon arrival, Patrolman Travis Horton and SLEO 2 Officer Eric Lee found a traffic light pole that had been knocked over, obstructing the westbound lane. At the scene, officers recovered a broken bumper piece believed to belong to the suspect’s vehicle.

A witness informed police that a white sedan had struck the pole before leaving the scene. Shortly after, Patrolman Vincent Campagnola located the suspected vehicle—driven by 21-year-old Teresa Lee—at a nearby Wawa convenience store on Kent Road.

During the bodycam footage, Teresa claimed she had been at Applebee’s drinking earlier that evening. She denied hitting the traffic pole and instead blamed prior damage on a past accident involving a deer in Pennsylvania. She also requested to call her father, John Lee, who is a law enforcement officer with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office.

As officers investigated further, the broken bumper from the accident scene was brought to the Wawa, clearly matching Teresa’s vehicle. She eventually admitted she may have hit the pole while texting. Despite her conflicting statements, officers maintained professionalism and continued their DUI investigation.

When her father arrived on scene, officers advised him not to interfere. Mr. Lee did not interfere and even acknowledged the damage wasn’t consistent with the earlier deer collision. Officers then conducted standardized Field Sobriety Tests.

Teresa showed clear signs of impairment and was ultimately placed under arrest for driving under the influence (DUI). At the Howell Township Police Department, she submitted to breath testing and registered a BAC of 0.172%, more than twice the legal limit in New Jersey.

She was processed and transported to the hospital for further evaluation. Teresa was issued multiple traffic summonses, including: Operating under the influence, Reckless driving, Leaving the scene of an accident, Failure to report an accident.

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Disclaimer: This video contains footage of a real-life incident. Viewer discretion is advised. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This content is provided strictly for informational and educational purposes. All footage is publicly released, used under fair use principles or from the Freedom of Information Act - FOIA