We won’t even suggest that this could be a scenario for most people who may be arrested for drunk driving here in the Garden State, but suffice it to say that if one is planning to seal a car, it might not be a wise idea to steal the car in which one is driving while intoxicated. As we said, this is hardly the typical kind of DWI-DUI traffic situation that most drunk driving defense lawyers encounter on a daily basis. To say the least, our clients are more likely to be coming home from dinner with their spouse when a police officer pulls them over in their own vehicle.
That said, we will add that as New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, a percentage of clients believe that they were not drunk at the time of the arrest or issuance of a DWI or drug DUI summons. This may or may not hold up in court, but the fact remains that many motorists here in New Jersey may not fully realize that they are legally impaired as they get behind the wheel of their car or truck.
This goes the same for people who may have had a couple of beers, a glass of wine or a dose of doctor-prescribed medication prior to driving home from a friend’s house or a quiet dinner at an upscale restaurant. Even those individuals who might be taking medicinal marijuana, the chances of being arrested for drug DUI or operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) can be quite high. If a patrolman observes a motorist initiate a maneuver that results in a traffic infraction, then the odds are very great that the driver will be exposed to the scrutiny of that law enforcement professional.
If you ever wondered if the police will tail a suspect or chase a driver based on a traffic offense or other civil or criminal violation, yes there is a good chance that it may happen. Of course, in the scenario we mentioned at the beginning of this message, the suspect’s vehicle was apparently flagged as stolen when the officer began his pursuit. The result, that of the driver being arrested for numerous offenses, not the least of which was DWI, came relatively quickly.
According to news reports, around 2am on a Sunday morning in August a NJ State Trooper was notified by a concerned citizen of a car being driven erratically along a stretch of Rte 37 in Ocean County. Based on reports at the time, the subject was headed west in a Hyundai Elantra, but once the police officer began to follow the car, the 20-year-old motorist apparently tried to evade the patrolman.
During the pursuit, the suspect nearly lost control of the car on several occasions and reportedly purposely crashed into the patrol car, but eventually lost complete control and wrecked the vehicle by hitting a tree in Toms River. According to the police, the suspect was arrested for DWI and other offenses, including excessive speed, reckless driving, unsafe changing of lanes, eluding police, reckless endangerment, vehicular assault, as well as theft of a motor vehicle.
State Trooper Injured in Pursuit of DWI Waretown Man in Stolen Car in Toms River, TomsRiverNJOnline.com, August 6th, 2012