Essex County Prosecutor Pleads Guilty to Reckless Driving After DUI Arrest

Bryashia Atchison-Henderson avoided DWI charge through plea deal despite failing sobriety test and vomiting in police car.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 5:06pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a car key and ignition switch lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the consequences of drunk driving.A harsh, gritty image of the physical evidence from a DUI arrest exposes the stark reality of drunk driving's impact on public safety.Edgewater Today

An Essex County assistant prosecutor arrested for DUI on her birthday in 2025 has pleaded guilty to reckless driving after initially being charged with operating under the influence and refusing a breathalyzer. Bryashia Atchison-Henderson was found intoxicated and lying next to her vehicle in a parking lot, failed a sobriety test, and vomited in the police car, but she remained on the job despite the charges.

Why it matters

The case raises questions about accountability and potential preferential treatment for law enforcement officials who face DUI charges, as well as the broader issue of drunk driving and public safety in New Jersey communities.

The details

According to body cam footage, police found Atchison-Henderson lying next to her Ford Explorer in a parking lot in March 2025. She admitted to being drunk, failed a sobriety test, was handcuffed and placed in a patrol car, where she vomited during the ride to the police station. Atchison-Henderson was charged with operating under the influence and refusal to submit to a breathalyzer, but she later accepted a plea deal in which the DWI charge was dropped and she pleaded guilty to reckless driving, paying $340 in fines and court costs.

  • Atchison-Henderson was arrested on her birthday in July 2025.
  • The incident occurred in a parking lot in Edgewater, New Jersey in March 2025.

The players

Bryashia Atchison-Henderson

An Essex County assistant prosecutor who was arrested for DUI on her birthday in 2025 but avoided the charge through a plea deal.

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What they’re saying

“I didn't realize I was this drunk”

— Bryashia Atchison-Henderson, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor

The takeaway

This case highlights concerns about potential preferential treatment for law enforcement officials who face DUI charges, as well as the broader issue of drunk driving and public safety in New Jersey communities.