Salinas woman blames stranger for DUI

A jury found Diana Barba, 33, guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol and driving without a license.

Earlier this year Barba drove into a parking lot on the California State University Monterey Bay campus and parked her car near an exit lane. University police said they contacted Barba and noticed she was intoxicated.

A chemical breathing test was conducted and it confirmed that her blood alcohol was well over twice the legal limit. According to officials, the test was taken about 45 minutes after driving.

During the trial, Barba testified an unknown man briefly entered her vehicle, exited immediately upon her request, leaving a six pack of beer behind.

Barba claims to have been so terrified by this experience that she had no choice but to drive around the Monterey Peninsula for the next three hours, while drinking the stranger’s abandoned beer. The jury rejected this defense.

The defendant was sentenced to twenty days in jail and placed on probation for five years.