Florida woman live streams herself drunk driving

Screenshot of Periscope live stream posted by Marie Beall.
(Image credit: Periscope/Courtesy WFTV)

The live-streaming app Periscope was used by savvy Florida police officers to track down a drunk driver — who was broadcasting herself weaving down the road. Whitney Marie Beall, 23, was reportedly bar-hopping in downtown Lakeland, Florida, when she decided to get in her car and record the whole thing for an audience of at least 57 viewers on Periscope.

"I am so f--king drunk," Beall told the people watching. Two viewers responded by sending her texts telling her to get off the road. Another called the police, explaining that Beall was drunk, lost, and filming herself, though the caller was unable to tell the officers what type of car she was in, according to The New York Times.

"Where the f--k am I going? I have no f--king idea of where I'm going right now," Beall can be heard saying in the recording of the live stream. She also frequently asked viewers to choose which direction she should drive in.

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A police officer with a personal Periscope account was able to deduce Beall's location based on landmarks in the background, and cops initiated a traffic stop. The end of the story is surprisingly lucky for Beall, all things considered: After hitting the curb at the traffic stop, Beall failed a roadside sobriety test, refused a Breathalyzer test, and was charged with a DUI. Watch it unfold below. Jeva Lange

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.