As drunken driving defense attorneys, I and my experienced staff of DWI lawyers understand the monetary and legal implications of a drunken driving or prescription drug DUI arrest faced by many motorists. Getting a ticket for driving under the influence is nothing to take lightly, even as a first-time DWI offender. Although it may not appear to be a serious issue, many people do not realize the potentially life-altering events that a drunk driving conviction can set in motion.
Of course, even a summons for driving while intoxicated or breath test refusal can impact a person’s personal life, job situation or standing in his or her local community. Add a conviction on top of an arrest, and this can translate into a significant event for almost anyone accused of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, prescription drugs or other controlled dangerous substance, such as marijuana.
As a New Jersey drunken driving and drug DUI attorney, my firm defends individuals from all around the Garden State including Monmouth, Atlantic, Burlington and Hudson counties. And while the facts behind every DWI or drug DUI case are unique, the circumstances of the arrest can be similar. As well, the consequences and possible DWI penalties for a drunk driving conviction in New Jersey are usually very comparable based on the seriousness of the charges.
Below are a number of news items from around Mercer County, based on police blotter information from local news sources. These few items represent just a fraction of the arrests that take place every week in and around the state. Of these, police officers make dozens of arrests for variety of drunk driving and prescription medication DUI violations. The penalties for drivers found guilty of DWI or drug-impaired operation of a motor vehicle can be quite costly.
A Princeton, NJ, driver was arrested by East Windsor police officers on a Sunday evening after the patrolmen observed a vehicle being operated in an allegedly erratic manner. According to the news report, the 57-year-old female driver was stopped by police along a stretch of Rte 33. Based on police reports, the officers saw a late-model Mercury being driven erratically on westbound Rte 33. After pulling the suspect’s vehicle over, officers approaching the vehicle said they smelled alcohol on the driver’s breath. Observing the woman, the patrolmen also reported that her eyes were bloodshot and watery. The officers then had the motorist take a series of standardized field sobriety tests, which police reports alleged she failed. The woman was charged with DWI, reckless driving, careless driving, and failing to maintain her lane. She was also charged with driving while intoxicated in a marked school zone, as well as tailgating and obstructing traffic.
Police stopped a 29-year-old out-of-state driver after observing a vehicle being driven at an excessive speed along an eastbound stretch of Hickory Corner Rd just before 2am early on a Saturday morning in Mercer County. The traffic stop occurred near Oak Creek Rd. after the patrolmen also watched the vehicle being driven in an erratic manner. Believing that the driver was intoxicated due to the so-called “odor of alcohol” on the driver’s breath, the officers ordered the driver to take several field sobriety tests, which he failed. The man was charged DWI, reckless and careless driving, as well as speeding and failing to obey a stop sign, as well as other traffic offenses. The man was released pending a court date.
A local man was arrested by East Windsor Twp. police officers following a citizen’s reports of possible drug activity in the parking lot of Windsor Regency on a Tuesday evening. The incident occurred just before 8pm when officers arrived on the scene and reported detecting the smell of burnt marijuana emanating from an older Toyota vehicle parked in the lot. Based on police reports, the officers found a partially burnt marijuana cigarette, or roach, on the suspect’s person. The 18-year-old man, who was sitting in the driver’s seat at the time, was arrested and charged by police for possession of under 50 grams of marijuana, as well as possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle. He was released pending a court hearing.
Police Blotter: Stolen Property, DWI, Drugs and Harassment, Patch.com, July 21, 2011