If you have been cited for a DWI in a school zone, you need to reach out to a seasoned New Jersey DWI attorney without delay.
An alleged drunk driver was involved in two accidents in a school zone last week, according to the Mendham Borough police. The 50-year-old woman from Bernardsville was charged with drunk driving and driving in a school zone and ticketed with reckless driving, failure to keep right, leaving the scene of an accident, and failure to report an accident after the crash. Police were notified when multiple residents from the area called to report the incidents.The first crash entailed the intoxicated woman hitting a parked Dodge Ram pickup truck, which was pushed into another truck. Witnesses to the incident told cops that the woman got out of her vehicle about 50 feet away and then got back into the car and drove off. A short while later, she crashed into a Mercedes Benz. Even at this point, she did not stop. She kept driving and was ultimately pulled over by the police.
In New Jersey, a person will be charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) if he or she is found to be operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. Under New Jersey’s DWI law, harsher penalties will be imposed if a DWI offense takes place in a school zone. As outlined in N.J.S.A. 39:1-1, a “school zone” means that portion of a highway which is either contiguous to territory occupied by a school building or where school crossings are established in the vicinity of a school.
In the context of being charged with a DWI, a school zone is defined as any school property used for school purposes, any area within 1,000 feet of such school property, and driving through a school crossing. A “school crossing” is a portion of the highway where school children must cross the highway in the vicinity of the school. It is important to note you may be convicted of a DWI in a school zone even if you did not know you were in a school zone, if the school was closed, or even if it is during summer months when school is not in session.
The penalties for a DWI in a school zone are essentially double those for a regular DWI when it comes to fines, loss of license, and jail time. If you are convicted of DWI in a school zone for a second offense or third offense, the penalties you face will be even more severe.
A DWI in a school zone is an extremely serious charge that can have serious, long-term consequences for your life if you are found guilty. If you have been charged or arrested for such an offense, you need to reach out to a New Jersey DWI attorney who can help. With extensive experience in this area of law, we can build a strong defense in your case. Call us at 877-450-8301 or contact us online.
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