Judge rejects Philly nun’s ‘sleep driving’ defense

A Philadelphia nun tried to make a defense out of “sleep driving” after she was charged with a DUI in Washington Township, N.J., but a judge turned the lights out on that one.

Sister Kimberly Miller was convicted of a driving under the influence Wednesday and Washington Township Municipal Court Judge Martin Whitcraft suspended her license for 90 days, 6ABC news has reported.

She must attend driver retraining and pay about $650 in fines.

“She’s obviously very upset, she’s in tears,” her attorney, Jeffrey Lindy, told 6ABC.

“She’s crying, and she’s upset, because she knows what happened that night. I think the conviction doesn’t bother her as much as the judge not believing her.”

Witnesses reportedly told police Miller had been driving erratically and pulled into the parking lot of an auto body shop. She reportedly backed into the front door while turning around and shattered the glass of the front entrance.

A blood alcohol test measured her BAC at .16, which is twice the legal limit.
Police reportedly found a half-full, but corked, bottle of wine in the back seat of the car.

According to published reports, Miller said she ingested the sleep aid Ambien after drinking a glass of altar wine, and then could not remember how she got to New Jersey. That’s when she made the “sleep driving” claim.