Not a single days goes by that some New Jersey motorist is pulled over by a State Police trooper or local law enforcement officer for some traffic infraction. It is not uncommon for such routine traffic stops to turn into drunk driving arrests, for a number of reasons. As a New Jersey DWI defense attorney, my office provides a valuable service to individuals accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or prescription drug DUI.
Regardless of the circumstances, it is foolish to “take your medicine” and not fight a drunk driving charge. This is especially true for persons with jobs that require a valid driver’s license and an unblemished driving record. Even those people who do not rely on driving to support themselves and their family, a DWI conviction can have a lasting effect on an individual’s standing in the community and with their friend and relative.
The two recent arrests in Lyndhurst, NJ, illustrate the way in which motorists can be singled out by police and eventually charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
Late on a Saturday evening, Lyndhurst police officers observed a vehicle allegedly speeding on a surface street around 11pm. After apparently failing to stop for a pedestrian in a nearby crosswalk, 29-year-old Mary Murillo of Hasbrouck Heights was stopped by officers near Valley Brook and Grant Avenues. During the traffic stop officers apparently detected signs of alcohol consumption on the driver’s part. Murillo was charged with drunk driving, as well as being issued summonses for careless driving and failure to stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Earlier that same evening, an incident involving underage drinking was recorded by Lyndhurst police. Based on a report of drunken individuals on the property of Columbus School, police officers arrived at the scene around 9:40pm to find that several allegedly intoxicated juveniles had moved to Third Avenue near Ridge Road. Based on the police report, two youngsters — a 17-year-old male and 16-year-old female — were with a 19-year-old male who was allegedly in possession of alcohol. According to police, the three were taken into custody.
Following the incident, the two younger juveniles were turned over to their parents without charges being filed against them. However, the 19-year-old, an Ebenezer Fobe of Lyndhurst, NJ, was charged with underage consumption of alcohol.
Lyndhurst: Police Blotter, NorthJersey.com, April 29, 2010