New Jersey Prosecutor Faces Consequences After Arrest for Drunk Driving

A New Jersey prosecutor finds herself in a tricky situation after a birthday celebration led to an incident she’d likely rather forget.

On March 8, 2025, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Bryashia Acheson-Henderson was reportedly having a bit too much fun after turning 30. A concerned driver called the police after witnessing her swerving and then falling from her vehicle.

When police arrived, Acheson-Henderson was discovered lying in a parking lot near her car, which was parked on the curb and still running. Body camera footage showed her admitting, “I had no idea I was this drunk,” leading to a field sobriety test.

In the video, an officer noted, “You admitted to me that you were drunk.” The footage showed her struggling to stand and unable to determine her location accurately. She was also seen crying and repeatedly asking to contact her son’s father.

Acheson-Henderson was arrested around 8:30 p.m. and placed in the back of a police vehicle, where an officer remarked that she had vomited.

At the police station, she reportedly refused to take a breathalyzer test and was sick again, this time in the processing area.

For over a year, Acheson-Henderson continued her role at the prosecutor’s office while facing the drunk driving charge, and it took four months for the office to acknowledge her arrest.

On April 2, 2026, she pleaded guilty to reckless driving and is expected to pay a $340 fine alongside court costs. According to reports, this conviction will likely mean points added to her driving record.

The original charge of refusing a breathalyzer test was dismissed.

The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that Acheson-Henderson is still employed but refrained from commenting on any potential disciplinary measures, stating that “administrative investigations are confidential.”