New Jersey is a pretty tough state when it comes to drunk driving enforcement. Anyone who driver here regularly has seen the frequent late-night sobriety checkpoints and anti-DWI saturation patrols operated by the New Jersey State Police and local law enforcement departments. Quite frankly, as drunken driving defense lawyers representing drivers in Monmouth, Sussex, Passaic and Ocean County, there is no good reason to risk one’s future by getting behind the wheel of a car, truck or motorcycle while impaired by alcohol or other substances.
While driving under the influence of alcohol or doctor-prescribed medication may not be a motorists primary intention, the chances of being stopped for a minor traffic infraction raise the possibility of being slapped with a DWI summons. The best way to avoid this scenario is to avoid driving any time one has had something alcoholic to drink; calling a cab, getting a ride from a sober friend or family member, or just staying put over night is by far the better course, than to find oneself with summons in hand and a court date pending.
Some of the most common police traffic stops, such as illegal turn or failure to maintain one’s lane, can end up with a driver arrested and charged with driving under the influence. Whether the charge is alcohol-based or a drug DUI — such as prescription meds or illegal substances like cocaine or marijuana — the potential conviction can cost a driver plenty in terms of monetary fines and even jail time, depending on the circumstances.
The following news briefs illustrate just some of the numerous scenarios in which Garden State motorists find themselves at odd with the law. While every drunk driving arrest is unique, there are some basic similarities to each traffic stop and subsequent arrest.
Multiple-Car Wreck in Princeton Twp.
An out-of-state driver was taken into custody by Princeton Twp. police officers following a three-vehicle crash along a stretch of Mercer Rd late on a Wednesday evening. According to news articles, a 34-year-old man was charged with a number of traffic offenses after he apparently caused a multi-vehicle wreck.
Based on police reports, township police officers, as well as local EMS and other first-responder emergency personnel arrived at the scene of the crash, which occurred at the intersection of Mercer and Quaker roads. When police arrived all three of the vehicles involved were sitting in the southbound lane of Mercer right at the Stonybrook Bridge. None of the individuals involved had received life-threatening injuries, although first responders took one driver from Trenton, NJ, to a hospital for treatment of some kind of back pains.
Police reports indicate that the suspect was allegedly intoxicated at the time of the crash. Officers in charge of the investigation stated that the man’s vehicle crossed over the centerline — a double yellow — and struck the two other vehicles.
Two DWI Arrests in Manchester, NJ
A resident of Brick, NJ, was pulled over on a Monday along a stretch of Rte 571 near the intersection of Cedar Rd. for what must have been a routine police traffic stop. The 27-year-old male was charged with DWI. He was processed by Manchester police and subsequently released pending an appearance date.
On a Wednesday, local police arrested and charged a 40-year-old man from Browns Mills with drunken driving following a traffic stop along a stretch of Rte 70. The driver was apparently processed and later released pending a court date.
Parsippany Police Arrest Toms River Driver for Drunk Driving
In a case of hit-and-run, a 46-year-old Toms River driver was arrested by police based on their suspicions that he was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of a Saturday night traffic accident in Parsippany, NJ. According to police reports, officers responded to the crash scene at the crossroads of North Beverwyck Rd. and Lake Hiawatha’s Knoll Rd. a few minutes past 8pm.
Finding a four-door Jeep — which police reports stated was missing its front bumper and license plate — and its driver sitting in the intersection, the officer in charge recognized the Jeep as matching the description of a vehicle that apparently fled the scene of an earlier accident in Montville, NJ. The driver was arrested, taken into custody, and charged with DWI, as well as breath test refusal. Other charges from Montville Township police were pending.
Two Men Charged for Leaving the Scene of Crashes, Patch.com, January 3, 2012
Three-Car Crash Yields DWI, Reckless Driving Charges, Patch.com, December 2, 2011
Police Blotter: DWI, Theft and False Information Charges Issued, Patch.com, December 2, 2011