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Florida Woman Streamed Live Video of Drunken Driving: Police

Authorities say 911 calls from concerned viewers led to the arrest of a Florida woman who was streaming live video of herself while driving drunk.

Lakeland police report 23-year-old Whitney Beall was using the social media app Periscope as she was driving Saturday. The video shows her saying several times that she was drunk. She also said she had a flat tire and didn't know where she was.

"I feel like I’m going to be drunk all the way, all the way home people I’m going to be drunk!" she said in the video.

Other users messaged her urging her to stop driving before she caused a crash. Some called the police.

"How do you know she’s drunk?" the dispatcher asked a caller in one of the 911 calls.

“She’s slurring her speech and she’s going from one lane to another on the street," the caller replied.

An officer logged onto the service and located Beall's car, and officers pulled her over.

A news release says Beall failed a field sobriety test and refused to take a breath test.

"The streaming Periscope video highlights the dangers of driving while intoxicated through the eyes of a drunk and irresponsible young adult," Lakeland Police said in a statement. "The Lakeland Police Department is extremely thankful that this did not result in an accident and no one was injured as a result of her poor decision."

She was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. She was later released on $500 bail. Beall's attorney Lee Cohen told NBC News, "I'm going to be investigating the case and until my investigation is complete I won't have any comments to make." 

Lakeland is about 35 miles east of Tampa.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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