Northern New Jersey gets its share of drunk driving arrests. Depending on the situation, drivers can be stopped for reckless driving or failure to maintain their lane, after which the officer may decide that the driver is intoxicated. When a patrolman suspects that a motorist is driving under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs or even marijuana or other illegal substances, he may request the driver to take one or more field sobriety tests.
New Jersey DWI defense lawyer, as well as a former municipal prosecutor, I have a vast amount of experience in defending individuals who have been arrested and charged with drunken driving. While circumstances vary, many DWI arrest scenarios are quite similar. The following is a short list of recent drunk driving arrests from Clifton, NJ.
A 22-year-old Maplewood resident was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI) in the early morning hours of December 29. According to reports, Officer Daniel Ishak approached a vehicle stopped on Clifton and Van Houten avenues around 2am and found the driver allegedly unconscious behind the wheel of this vehicle with the engine running. The officer opened the door and detected signs of intoxication, according to reports. The officer woke the man and gave him several roadside field sobriety tests, which he apparently was not able to complete. The officer arrested the driver. He was charged with DWI after recording a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.16 percent on a breathalyzer.
According to news reports, Officers responded to Broad Street and Seton Lane on a report of a suspicious vehicle with an unconscious person inside around 2:30am on December 24. Upon arriving, officers approached the Mercury Mountaineer with a 35-year-old Clifton woman inside. The officers reportedly detected signs of intoxication. While questioning the woman, she allegedly became combative and resisted arrest. Police claim that she also tried to grab one of the officer’s flashlights. She was subsequently transported to police headquarters where she was posted a 0.13 BAC. She was charged with DWI as well as with resisting arrest.
In a third incident, news reports indicate that another Clifton resident was arrested on Christmas Eve for drunk driving following a traffic accident. According to police reports, police responded to Mahar Avenue on a report of a 2005 BMW involved in a motor vehicle crash. At the scene, police suspected that the 31-year-old driver may have been intoxicated after questioning the driver. A series of field sobriety tests were performed, which the driver allegedly could not pass. He was charged with DWI after posting results of 0.20 percent BAC on a breath alcohol test. In addition to drunk driving, the man was also charged with hindering apprehension because he originally had told police his girlfriend had been driving the car.
Clifton Journal, Police Blotter, NorthJersey.com, January 1, 2010