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Woman Pulled Over For DWI In Manhattan Blames Cops For "Picking On Rich People"
By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 6, 2016
Modified Jun 6, 2016
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jun 6, 2016
Modified Jun 6, 2016
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When police pulled over local aristocrat Liridona Selimaj on the Henry Hudson Parkway on June 2nd, they claimed it was because she was too drunk to safely operate her Range Rover. But Selimaj, 28, knew what was really going on—cops were targeting her just like they always target the city's wealthy upper crust people. "You’re picking on me because I was driving an expensive car," Selimaj reportedly told the officers who pulled her over. "You make no money, and you’re poor — you’re picking on rich people." Driving While Rich—almost as risky as Drinking While White.
Officer Ronald Jurain pulled Selimaj over after observing her allegedly erratic and affluent driving between West 125th Street & West 158th Street. According to the criminal complaint, Jurain observed that Selimaj had "watery and bloodshot eyes, had the odor of an alcoholic beverage on her breath, slurred her speech, was unsteady on her feet, and had a flushed face." There is nothing in the criminal complaint about the foul odor of privilege emanating from the Range Rover, but it's there if you read between the lines.
Selimaj, who was, perfectly, formerly a real estate broker for Douglas Elliman, refused to take a breath test at the scene, instead telling cops, "How can you say I was swerving? I’m not drunk. I wasn’t doing anything you were saying I was doing. I was swerving because it was a new car." Unfortunately for Selimaj, cops hate new cars and the rich bastards who drive them.
Selimaj was charged with operating a car while intoxicated and operating a vehicle while impaired. The Post reports that she was also previously arrested for being rich DWI in 2009. Wealthy people just can't catch a break in this town.
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John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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