On Nov. 22 at about 4:03 a.m., Santa Monica police officers responded to the 2800 block of Arizona Avenue to investigate a traffic collision. The comments of their call said that a white woman wearing black clothing and driving a white Toyota sedan steered into a parked vehicle. She then tried to leave the area on foot.
Witnesses took the driver's car keys and detained her until the officers arrived. The driver, identified as Melanie Champagne, showed several obvious signs of alcohol intoxication, including swaying from side to side, slurred speech, and trouble walking. She also smelled strongly of alcoholic beverages and had trouble focusing on the officers' questions.
Champagne admitted the Toyota was her vehicle but denied driving (even though witnesses observed her behind the wheel at the time of the crash). The officers began a DUI investigation and performed field sobriety tests. Following the tests, the officers arrested Champagne on DUI and hit-and-run charges and towed her vehicle.
Champagne, 33, of Alta Dena, had bail set at $35,000.
