Virginia woman allegedly drinks toilet water mixed to sabotage DUI test

There are desperate measures, and then there’s whatever happened inside a Virginia jail when a woman allegedly decided that drinking toilet water mixed with her own urine was preferable to taking a DUI test. Unfortunately for her, the questionable strategy didn’t exactly flush away the evidence.

The bizarre incident involved 43-year-old Erin Elizabeth Hoopes, who reportedly attempted to interfere with a breath test after crashing into a police cruiser. As detailed in The Daily Progress’ reporting, Hoopes allegedly scooped up the contaminated water while in custody, forcing officers to restart a mandatory 20-minute observation period. Her eventual blood alcohol concentration registered 0.26, more than three times Virginia’s legal limit of 0.08.

The incident followed a collision in which Hoopes allegedly drove her red Mini Cooper toward a tow truck before striking a patrol vehicle. An officer identified as Layman reportedly attempted to reverse his cruiser to avoid the approaching car, but the maneuver was unsuccessful. He subsequently pursued Hoopes, who allegedly resisted being handcuffed before being taken to the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.

How drunk do you need to be to willingly drink toilet water? 

Things took an unexpected turn when Hoopes reportedly insisted that she urgently needed to use the restroom. The officer allowed her to go but left the door partially open so he could monitor the sink, having already instructed her not to drink anything.

Virginia’s breath-testing procedures require a 20-minute observation period to ensure that eating, drinking, or other activities do not interfere with the results. According to the officer’s report, Hoopes allegedly reached into the toilet after using it, scooped up a mixture of water and urine, and consumed it. The officer also reported that his body-worn camera was recording during the incident. 

Whether the alleged stunt was intended to compromise the test or simply delay the inevitable, it accomplished at least one thing: another 20 minutes of waiting. The other thing it may have accomplished is breaching the limits of how far a human can go to evade the law.

The officer’s report offered a remarkably straightforward response to the unexpected development. Rather than dwelling on what he had reportedly witnessed, he simply documented that the observation period had to begin again.

Hoopes isn’t the only person whose reported drunken antics have left others scratching their heads. A woman at a Missouri restaurant allegedly complained about 13 unanswered calls while pointing at a decorative telephone.

The results weren’t going down the drain

Despite the alleged attempt to interfere with the testing process, Hoopes eventually underwent the breath test. Her recorded blood alcohol concentration of 0.26 was more than three times the legal driving limit.

Court records show that Hoopes faced second-offense DUI and hit-and-run charges, alongside initial charges of obstruction of justice and driving without a license. The latter two charges were subsequently dropped when her case advanced. 

Hoopes had previously been convicted of DUI in Orange County in 2023. Her attorney, Scott Goodman, said she was remorseful and working to address her problems, adding that nobody was injured in the collision.

Police encounters involving intoxicated drivers have produced some unusual moments over the years, including a man who sang ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in the back of a patrol car after being stopped for driving under the influence.

The alleged bathroom stunt may have delayed the breath test, but it ultimately did nothing to prevent the result. If anything, it left officers with an additional 20 minutes of waiting and one particularly unsavory incident to document.

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]