New Jersey mayor accused of drunk driving with toddler in car on St. Patrick’s Day
The mayor was filmed earlier this month stating ‘you have no idea what I’ve been through’ during a heated verbal exchange with a member of the public
A New Jersey Democratic mayor has been accused of DUI after she allegedly drove her toddler home from daycare drunk on St. Patrick’s Day, officials have said.
Lumberton Mayor Gina LaPlaca, 45, was arrested and charged Monday evening with DUI, child endangerment and neglect, driving with an expired license, and other related offenses, according to a Lumberton Township police complaint. The small city is located 25 miles east of Philadelphia.
The mayor, who was sworn in to serve a second term as mayor in January 2025, was flagged to police by a bystander who recorded her driving her blue 2019 BMW erratically on video, swerving between lanes and almost striking a utility pole, the complaint said.
Police made contact with LaPlaca after viewing the video.
She then admitted to police that she had been drinking before she went to collect her two-year-old son from daycare, according to court documents seen by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Upon taking a sobriety test, LaPlaca reportedly "appeared to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the offense," reports NBC Philadelphia.
The toddler was found strapped in a car seat in the rear passenger seat. An open container of an alcoholic beverage was also found inside her car, according to the complaint.
LaPlaca was first elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2023. Among her major projects is ending a homeless encampment in the area around Lumberton.
In a statement posted on social media, LaPlaca’s husband, Jason Carty, who is a firefighter and political activist, claimed his wife had been grappling with addiction and is now getting the treatment she needs.
“Millions of Americans struggle with addiction and never get help. Gina is someone who has struggled and is now getting the help she needs.
“I ask that everyone keep her in their thoughts as she moves forward on her road to recovery. Please ignore the exaggerated political hyperbole and keep in mind her passion for helping others. This should not erase all the things she has accomplished for our community,” he wrote on Facebook.
The incident follows a recent spat LaPlaca had on March 5 while in her other role as the Neptune Township business administrator – a job she has since resigned from, citing a "changing political environment," according to the Asbury Park Press.
In a video posted in a local Neptune Facebook group, LaPlaca was filmed being escorted by police out of a Mount Holly Fire Commissioners meeting after getting into a heated exchange with audience members who were critical of her husband’s appointment as a firefighter.
In the clip, LaPlaca is heard shouting, "You have no idea what I’ve been through," to someone in the audience as she walks away.
In 2023, while serving as deputy mayor, LaPlaca was arrested for assaulting her husband. Carty was also arrested but later accepted responsibility, and the charges against his wife were dropped, reports the New Jersey Globe.
In a statement, Lumberton Deputy Mayor Lori Faye said: "As a Committee, our priority is doing what is best for Lumberton.
“As human beings, we care about our residents and each other’s wellbeing. The Committee supports Mayor LaPlaca’s decision to seek the help she believes she needs. Further, we wish her all the best in her next steps for self-help.”
Faye added that the committee would respect the family’s request for privacy.
LaPlaca is scheduled to appear in court on April 28.
The Independent contacted LaPlaca, Lumberton Township, and the Lumberton Police Department for comment.