A former New Jersey Democrat mayor who was busted driving drunk with her kid on St. Patrick’s Day has just been given a second chance.
Former Lumberton Mayor Gina LaPlaca, 46, blew a .30 percent blood alcohol level last St. Patrick’s Day after the police pulled her over as per a report of a motorist swerving between lanes, according to NJ.com.
The legal limit is reportedly .08 percent.
“LaPlaca had trouble standing and getting her young child out of the car when police arrived at her home,” NJ.com reported. “Damage along the passenger side of her car, including a severely damaged sideview mirror, can be seen on police body camera footage.”
The democrat mayor of Lumberton New Jersey, Gina LaPlaca, was arrested for DUI after another driver called the police about an erratic driver.
The kicker – she had her toddler in the car 🤨#GinaLaPlaca #NewJersey #democrat #democrats pic.twitter.com/sxUYbN4MQi
— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) March 28, 2025
LaPlaca eventually admitted to having been drinking Vodka and having just picked up her youngest child from daycare. Furthermore, police found an open container of alcohol in her vehicle.
LaPlaca was subsequently charged with endangering/abuse/neglect of a child, cruelty and neglect, operating a vehicle under the influence, reckless driving, careless driving likely to endanger, traffic on marked lanes, driving with an expired license, and driving with an open container of alcohol, according to the Asbury Park Press.
Her husband, political activist and firefighter Jason Carty, told the paper that she entered a rehab facility the day after her arrest.
“The first step on her road to recovery. This is not a political issue. This is not a Republican or Democrat [issue], it is a human being issue,” he said. “People suffer from addiction, and many people don’t get help. She is finally getting the help she needs. Unfortunately, you have to hit rock bottom before you get better. This is obviously rock bottom.”
He also called for everyone to pray for his wife.
“I ask that everyone keep her in their thoughts as she moves forward on her road to recovery,” he said. “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 added that his wife is a “loving and caring” mother.
“Our oldest is a teenager and can see the unkind things being said online. I ask simply that you respect our privacy, be better humans, and please show some compassion, thank you,” he concluded.
On Tuesday of this week, LaPlanca pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and fourth-degree child abuse. She was sentenced to three years of pre-trial intervention.
As part of her sentence, she must also continue attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and also install an ignition interlock device in her car, which she’s reportedly already voluntarily done.
“I have never felt more humbled than I do standing before my community today,” she said in a statement following her sentencing. “The weight of my actions is something I carry deeply. What I did was wrong. It was dangerous. It was inexcusable. I drove while intoxicated with my child in the car — a choice that could have caused irreversible harm. That reality is something I will live with, and learn from, for the rest of my life.”
“I am grateful that this matter has been legally resolved, and I do not take lightly the second chance the court has given me. I see it not as an escape from consequences, but as an opportunity — an opportunity to do better, to be better, and to prove through my actions that I am worthy of that grace,” she added.
STATEMENT FROM COMMITTEEWOMAN GINA LAPLACA ON ACCEPTANCE TO BURLINGTON COUNTY PRETRIAL INTERVENTION (PTI) PROGRAM:
On…
Posted by Committeewoman Gina LaPlaca on Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Though she’s no longer mayor, LaPlaca does remain a sitting member of the township committee until the end of the year.
This isn’t her first rodeo with the law.
“In 2023, LaPlaca was arrested at her home in late October after a domestic incident resulted in LaPlaca being accused of assaulting her husband,” according to the Park Press.
“The charges filed against her would later be dismissed, and she was granted an expungement, removing that October arrest from her record. Carty said that he took responsibility for the incident and that his wife did nothing wrong,” the report continued.
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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