New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog
Trying to make the best of a situation is one thing, but being stopped for driving under the influence of alcohol twice in the same day is not my idea of good planning. Like most DWI arrests, the story of a recent motorist’s unfortunate experience in Vineland, NJ, points up the most important fact — trying to handle things yourself can get you in big trouble especially if you try to pull one over on the police. As a New Jersey drunk driving defense attorney, my firm is dedicated to helping those drivers who find themselves on the wrong side of the law.
In this recent case, Sasha R. Kissoondath was reportedly observed by police speeding in his pickup truck along South Delsea Drive near Elm Road. Officer Nicholaos Dounoulis reported that he saw Kissoondath’s just before 2:30am and tried to catch up to the man’s vehicle. The officer finally closed on Kissoondath as he pulled up to his residence on LaValle Avenue.
According to reports, the 35-year-old then got out of his vehicle and walked inside his house, although the officer noted that his walking appeared unsteady as he ignored the officer’s orders to stop. Dounoulis knocked on the door of the residence several times, but Kissoondath reportedly refused to come out.
About five minutes later, he came outside with his wife and asked the officer what was going on. He told the officer that he had been at his house all day, where he had been drinking.
Kissoondath apparently refused to perform any field sobriety tests, although police allegedly found an open bottle of Heineken Light, still cold, in the center console of his vehicle. Kissoondath was then arrested and transported to police headquarters.
He was charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, speeding, having an open container of alcohol inside a vehicle, and obstruction. He was processed and released to his wife, who signed a liability form.
According to news reports, Kissondath exercised his right to have an independent blood test to try to refute the evidence against him. However, the trip to the hospital for the test cost him a second drunken driving charge just a few hours later, police said.
Just before 6am that same morning, Kissoondath’s wife called police to say her husband had driven himself to South Jersey Healthcare Regional Medical Center for a blood test.
Officers responded and found him in a room at the hospital. Officers discovered that he was in possession of the keys to his vehicle, which they located in the parking lot.
The suspect reportedly told police that he had walked to the hospital, then changed his story and said he was dropped off there. Kissoondath was taken back to police headquarters where he underwent a Breathalyzer test, which reportedly showed his blood alcohol level was 0.08 percent. New Jersey law considers a motorist legally drunk when his or her blood-alcohol level reaches 0.08 percent.
Man gets 2 DWIs in 1 night, TheDailyJournal.com, November 20, 2009