A resident of Bluffton, South Carolina was pulled over for reckless driving last Saturday morning and arrested on a number of charges.
This, despite the fact that she was white.
That statement may seem like a ridiculous non-sequitor, but it was actually the argument used by Lauren Elizabeth Cutshaw at the time over her run-in with the law.
As documented by The New York Post, the 32-year old was caught by police officers blowing through a four-way stop sign at 60 miles per hour around 1:45 a.m. on August 4.
With eyes described in the official report as bloodshot and glossy, Cutshaw told the cops that she had only two glasses of wine.
But she was allegedly slurring her words and there was a strong scent of alcohol emanating from the vehicle.
“I mean, I was celebrating my birthday,” Cutshaw told the cops when they asked her how big the glasses were for her pair of drinks, according to the report.
This is a rather aburd excuse for two reasons:
- Her birthday is on August 9.
- One’s birthday is not an excuse for breaking the law.
But this seemingly typical arrest has gone viral for a different reason.
Cutshaw gave the officers what she believes were perfectly reasonable explanations for why they shouldn’t place her under arrest. To wit:
She maintained perfect grades during all of her school years… she was a cheerleader … she was a member of a sorority.
Oh, and also:
“I’m a white, clean girl,” Cutshaw said, according to the report.
For some reason, however, this defense did not mean anything to the arresting officers.
When the officers asked what, exactly, Lauren meant by this announcement, she replied:
“You’re a cop, you should know what that means.”
(Translation: You guys only shoot and harass black people. So come on! Give me a break!)
What did mean something to these authority figures?
The fact that Cutshaw failed sobriety tests; and that a breathalyzer showed that her blood alcohol at the time was .18 percent (the legal limit in South Carolina is 0.08 percent).
The report actually cited Cutshaw’s “white” remark, noting:
“Making statements such as these as a means to justify not being arrested are unusual in my experience as a law enforcement officer and I believe further demonstrate the suspect’s level of intoxication.”
And also of her white privilege.
In the end, Lauren was booked on charges of speeding, disregarding a stop sign, simple possession of marijuana, driving under the influence and possession of drug paraphernalia.