Defending motorists accused of drunken driving can involve multiple factors, such as how the arrest was conducted, whether or not an Alcotest or other breathalyzer blood-alcohol content (BAC) test was performed, what kind of field sobriety test(s) were administered, and in which municipality the alleged DWI took place. As New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyers, my staff and fellow attorneys understand the ins and outs of DWI prosecution here in the Garden State. The following are some examples of the types of cases that are heard daily in our municipal courtrooms across the state.
Little Falls Car Crash and DWI, Marijuana Possession Arrest
Little Falls police officers were called to respond to a traffic accident on Main Street near Brookside Ave. According to news reports, a motor vehicle driven by a 19-year-old Fairfield, NJ, resident apparently ran into a utility pole. During the investigation, officers noticed that the driver had outward signs of being drunk and under the influence of alcohol. The driver was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated as well as possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in a vehicle.
Montclair Police Charge Motorists with Drunk Driving
A 27-year-old North Plainfield man and a 20-year-old Newark resident were arrested in separate DWI stops during the early morning hours. The North Plainfield driver had stopped his vehicle in the intersection of Forest Street and Claremont Avenue for no apparent reason, while the Newark man hit a curb, drove onto a local resident’s front lawn and destroyed some shrubs as well as hitting a PSE&G utility box. The Newark suspect apparently left the scene, but was found and charged with DWI.
A few days later police stopped a motorist driving a Cadillac in an erratic manner along Elm Street. The driver reportedly almost hit a curb as well as another vehicle parked on the street. Officers found an open bottle of beer in the car. The driver was given several field sobriety tests, which he reportedly failed. The man was issued summonses for drunk driving, careless driving and possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle.
Teen Charged with DWI and Leaving an Accident Scene
Responding to a report of a driver needing assistance, police officers came upon a single-vehicle crash. According to news reports, police arriving in the area of Watchung Rd. and Wildwood Dr. in the early morning hours found the front lawn of a local residence. The responding officers found damage to the front lawn including a trail of automotive fluids leading about 60 ft. to an apparently abandoned car with a damaged front end. Tracing the vehicle back to the owner, police charged an 18-year-old for allegedly driving while intoxicated, plus careless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
Little Falls: Police Blotter, NorthJersey.com, April 8, 2010
Montclair Police Blotter: DWI, Vandalism, Thefts, Baristanet.com, April 13, 2010
Police charge town teen with DWI, NorthJersey.com, May 13, 2010