Woman Who Left Trail of Destruction in Downtown Menlo Park Now Out on Bail

The woman who careened through Santa Cruz Avenue in downtown Menlo Park while intoxicated last December is out on a $50,000 bond today, after waiving her preliminary hearing Monday morning in San Mateo County Superior Court.

Margaret Ruth Brill, 62, is charged with six felonies and one misdemeanor, according to Steve Wagstaffe, San Mateo County District Attorney.

The charges include: driving under the influence of alcohol, exceeding the legal limit of alcohol in the bloodstream, two counts of inflicting bodily injury on a person, and two counts of fleeing the scene of an accident, according to Wagstaffe.

"She's definitely going to be convicted as a felon for this conduct and could get almost 10 years in prison," Wagstaffe said.

Public records say Brill was heavily intoxicated when she pulled her olive Mercedes out of a space in the parking lot behind and hit a grey Volkswagen Jetta. That car then smashed into a white Ford Explorer. A man was pinned between the two vehicles and left the scene with a fractured leg and kneecap, according to public records.

Eyewitnesses say that Brill fled that parking lot, turned right onto Curtis Avenue, and then roared onto Santa Cruz Avenue, who were finishing the renovation.  The velocity of the turn caused her Mercedes to spin around and crash its rear bumper into a black Mercedes that was parked in front of Walgreens.

As Brill attempted to drive away from the second collision, construction workers chased after her, stopped her car and relieved her of her keys.  She was arrested at that time for suspicion of driving under the influence.

A test performed after the incident revealed that Brill’s blood alcohol level was at .29 percent, which is more than three times the legal limit of .08 percent, according to public documents.

"At 5 foot three and 115 pounds, that’s going straight to the brain," Wagstaffe said, describing Brill and the effect that amount of alcohol would have on her.

This is that Brill has been in custody for displaying inebriation in a public place.

Brill was previously arrested in her hometown of Atherton, when police officers found her in the parking lot by the train station “clearly intoxicated,” according to public records.  Brill had mud on her face and two bottles of wine in a bag that she was carrying, public records state. 

As police were taking her into custody, one of the wine bottles was broken, at which point Brill “complained loudly that the wine was wasted," according to Deputy District Attorney Megan Wilkins.

In light of her history with alcohol abuse, the courts have ordered Brill to enroll in the Womens Recovery Association's substance abuse treatment program for the duration of the trial as a condition of her bail agreement.

Wagstaffe said the case may take anywhere from six months to a year, depending on how her attorney, Michael Armstrong, argues the case. Armstrong was not available to discuss the case in advance of press time.

Linda Carlson, Executive Director of the Women's Recovery Association, said the center usually has a very young population.

"But in the last few years, we've had a lot of older women come in," Carlson said.

"They've often been really isolated as a result of their substance abuse, or whatever the circumstance may be. But when they come here, they become part of our community of women."

About 288 women a year stay on the campus in Burlingame to receive treatment, 30 percent of which are referred there by the criminal justice system, according to Carlson. It is not clear whether Brill is staying on the campus or at her home, as the WRA will not release information about specific patients.

The program connects women with doctors to address the physical ramifications of detoxification when they first arrive. After that, they meet with psychiatrists who set recovery goals for the women, depending on their situation. The women are then introduced to other women on whom they can rely when they feel they may relapse.

"It's really about modifying a woman's behavior, so she can change her lifestyle," Carlson said.

"Sometimes the goals are as simple as making a friend. That can make a huge difference."

Brill's arraignment, which is the official hearing of the charges against her, will be conducted at 8:45 a.m. on April 12 in San Mateo County Superior Court.