(July 7, 2016) District 2 Berlin Councilmember Lisa Hall said allegations that she received preferential treatment during a traffic stop on June 5 are just that – allegations.
On Tuesday, an anonymous letter made the rounds claiming that Hall “fell out of [her] car” and was not given a Breathalyzer or blood alcohol test.
The letter included information reprinted from Maryland Judiciary Case Search, and said copies were being sent to the sheriff’s department, Berlin police and to local newspapers.
Hall, who filed to run for mayor last month, said the stop was routine and that she was absolutely not drinking.  
“Unfortunately, I got too many points going back and forth to Annapolis serving in committees,” she said in a statement texted on Tuesday. “My husband was bedridden at home [and] I got two tickets in less than one year. I didn’t see the letter from [the] MVA.”
Her husband, Bill, passed away on March 22. Four weeks later, on Mother’s Day, she said her stepdaughter-in-law, Jennifer Hall, died, and she took in her three children, all under 10 years of age.
“I went to Food Lion at 10:30 at night to get stuff for lunches for camp [on June 5],” she said. “I was exhausted, overwhelmed, grieving etc. [and] pulled onto Williams Street with daylight running lamps. A Worcester County Sheriff coming from town turned around [and] pulled me over in front of Chuck Martin’s house. [The officer] ran my license. I didn’t know it was suspended. I went to driving school following Saturday and got reinstated.”
Hall said she left the car there and started walking home with the groceries when her son, Adam, picked her up.
She said she does not drink alcohol.
The officer who filed the report, DFC Shane Musgrave, did not return calls for comment before press time.