SATURDAY MORNING, 1 A.M.
LOS ANGELES
A red sports car whizzed past Officer Nick Feddel on the highway going 80 miles per hour. He turned on his lights and siren and followed.
It was at least a full minute before the driver pulled over. Nick continued to follow as the driver pulled to the shoulder and stopped. He stopped behind the car and stepped out of his vehicle. He cautiously approached the driver's door, shining his flashlight into the lowered window.
The driver shielded her eyes from the light.
"Is there a problem, officer," she asked.
Nick gave a beat before answering.
"You were going pretty fast back there," he said. "Fifteen miles over the speed limit."
"I'm sorry," she replied. "I must have lost track of how fast I was going."
"I need your license and registration, please," said Nick.
She pulled the items from her purse which sat on the passenger seat. She handed them to him.
"Look, officer," she said. "I'm very sorry for speeding. Would it be possible to just...get a warning this time?"
Nick looked at her license.
"I thought I recognized you," he said. "Scarlett Johansson, the actress."
She smiled and nodded.
"That's me," she said.
"Miss Johansson, your speech is a bit slurred. Have you been drinking tonight?"
She hesitated before answering.
"I'veβI've had a couple," she said. "Not enough to impair me, though."
Nick nodded.
"Uh-huh," he said. "Ok, what I'm going to need you to do is to turn your engine off and step out of your vehicle, please."
"Come on, Officerβ" she squinted to read his name tag, "Officer Feddel. I told you I'm not drunk. Iβ"
"Miss Johansson, please turn off your ignition and step out of the car."
Sighing, annoyed, Scarlett did as she was asked to do. She was wearing a low-cut red dress which left ample cleavage.
"Wait here for one moment, please," said Nick.
He walked back to his car and picked up his radio.
"This is Unit 35," he said. "I am on the Hollywood Freeway going north just past the Santa Monica Boulevard exit. I am on a traffic stop, may have a DUI arrest. Please prepare a unit to cover my post and await confirmation."
"Standing by to confirm," the voice responded over the radio.
Nick took out the breathalyzer from his supply kit and returned to Scarlett outside her car.
"Miss Johansson, I need you to breathe into this device, please."
"Officer Feddel, is this really necessary. Iβ"
"Miss Johansson, please do as I ask.*
Sighing again she breathed into the breathalyzer. It made several beeping noises and Nick took it back and read the display. It gave a .14 reading.
"Miss Johansson, you are well over the legal limit to drive."
Scarlett sighed again and closed her eyes.
"I'm afraid I need to place you under arrest for driving under the influence," Nick continued. "Please turn around and face your car."
"Officer, please," Scarlett pleaded.
"Miss, turn around please."
Reluctant and scared, she turned around.
"Arms behind your back please," said Nick.
She did as she was asked. Gently, Nick locked a pair of handcuffs around her wrists.
"Officer Feddel, please," she pleaded.
Nick leaned in.
"Miss Johansson, if I let you drive away and something happens, I am responsible. Do you understand?"
She nodded.
"Then just give me a ride home, please. I can't go to jail."
"Miss Johansson," Nick said, still not addressing her by her first name. "I've always liked you. You've always struck me as very down-to-earth. I hope you don't believe you're above the rules."
She shook her head and said nothing. Simply to follow procedure, Nick recited her Miranda rights to her. He reached into car, took her keys out of the ignition. He led Scarlett back to his car and gently assisted her into the backseat. He sat back into the driver's seat and picked up his radio again.
"This is Unit 35 again," he said. "Please send unit to cover my post. Returning to station with DUI arrest."
"Confirmed," the voice responded.
Scarlett was silent on the entire drive to the station. When Nick had pulled into the station lot, she finally spoke.
"There's no way to keep this silent, is there?" she said.
"Ma'am, this is a DUI. You'll need to appear in court for it. As for now, you'll be spending at least the night in jail."
She hung her head. Nick got out and helped her out of the car. He led her into the station and took her to processing. He removed her handcuffs and handed her a plastic bag.
"Your clothes and your jewelry go in this bag," he said. He dropped her car keys into the bag. "Your car will be towed here and impounded for the time being.
He handed her an orange shirt and matching pants.
"You'll need to change into this new uniform."
"A jail uniform," she asked. "Really? I'm going to be here for what? Six or seven hours."
He led her to a room and told her to change. He closed her in and told her to knock when she was ready.
Inside the room, Scarlett was no longer just scared, she was getting angry. Knowing she had no other choice, she slid her dress off and dropped it into the bag. She removed her blue bra and her white silk thong panties and dropped them into the bag as well. She slipped on the pants and shirt she'd been given.