If you have been charged with a DWI in New Jersey, you need to reach out to a seasoned New Jersey DWI attorney who can help you understand the laws and penalties involved in your case. With extensive experience in this area of law, we can advocate for your rights every step of the way.
An impaired driving charge in New Jersey is known as a driving while intoxicated (DWI) offense. The basic offense of a DWI consists of a person operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. If an individual is under the age of 21, New Jersey has a zero tolerance policy and that person will be charged with a DWI if he or she has a BAC of 0.01 percent or higher. If a person is behind the wheel with a BAC of 0.10 percent of higher, that person will be charged with an aggravated DWI and face enhanced penalties.
A recent report compiled by Nj.com ranked all the towns along the Jersey Shore from least to most DWI arrests made, based on the square mileage of the town. The data was obtained through the New Jersey Municipal Court statistics from July 2016 to July 2017. The statistics for each town include arrests made by both local and state police.
Of the 44 towns analyzed, Cape May Point, Barnegat Light and Berkeley Township had the least number of DWI arrests per square mile. Cape May Point did not record a single DWI incident; Barnegat Light had one DWI arrest, totaling 1.17 DWI per square mile, and Berkeley Township arrested 68 people for a DWI during the year, translating to 1.21 DWI arrests per square mile.
Monmouth Beach, ranked somewhere in the middle of the list, had a total of 20 DWI arrests, making the rate of DWI arrests 9.67 per square mile. This was an increase in the number of DWI arrests when compared to the previous year in which only 11 people were arrested for a DWI.
The three towns that had the most number of DWI per square miles include Seaside Heights (140 arrests translating to 187.67 DWI arrests per square mile); Wildwood City (140 arrests translating to 100.43 DWI arrests per square mile); and Allenhurst (24 arrests translating to 84.81 DWI arrests per square mile).
Just because you have been charged with a DWI does not mean you will be convicted. Once you retain an attorney, they will examine the circumstances of your arrest and determine which, if any, defenses may be applicable to your case. Typical defenses include: no reasonable suspicion to stop vehicle; no reasonable suspicion to detain for sobriety testing; failure to comply with the “20-minute” rule; Miranda defenses and more.
DWI arrests can have serious penalties for an individual’s life. It is important to note that many of the towns on the NJ.com list are located in Monmouth Country where our office is located. If you or someone close to you has been charged with a DWI, you need to reach out to a diligent and hard-working New Jersey DWI attorney who can help. For a case evaluation, please call us 877-450.8301 or contact us online.
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