Most every motorist in the Garden State likely knows that drunk driving arrests occur quite often all around the state. But whether or not one travels through Bergen, Monmouth or Ocean County, or Passaic, Hudson or Middlesex, being stopped by the police for a traffic offense does not necessarily mean that a driver will be charged with driving under the influence, though the circumstances will often dictate the outcome of any traffic stop.
Occasionally, receiving a DWI or drug DUI summons can be a simple matter of timing. One must understand that feeling one is in the right will usually not alter the way a patrolman or state trooper views that particular situation. As we often suggest to family and friends, it’s better to err on the side of caution — by locating a sober ride back home or taking public transport — than to risk being stopped by the police and possibly end up with a charge of impaired driving.
As experienced legal professionals, my colleagues and I have seen our share of courtroom situations where a driver committed a minor traffic violation only to find himself under arrest for drunken driving an hour later and waiting at the police station for a responsible party to pick him up. If a person has had any amount of alcohol recently, there is no reason to take chances — not only with one’s physical safety, but also legally — by getting behind the wheel of an automobile while potentially intoxicated.
Being DWI and drug DUI lawyers, our legal defense team is no stranger to fighting drunk driving charges on behalf of our clients in courtrooms all across the garden state. Whether the charge is straight DWI, refusal to take a Breathalyzer test, or possession of marijuana in a motor vehicle, those individuals accused of these kinds of offenses should recognize that there are serious potential implications, not only in terms of the stiff monetary penalties following a conviction, but also potential jail time as well.
The following is brief summary of some more recent alcohol and drug-related arrests in the Sussex Co. area. These incidents reflect some of typical circumstances surrounding many kinds of DWI-DUI legal cases heard in courtrooms throughout the Garden State. In addition, these days especially, police are also vigilant to those drivers who may be operating a car or truck while distracted by certain activities, such as using a handheld cellphone or texting on a smartphone.
According to news reports, a 55-year-old local man was arrested on charges of DWI after police were alerted to a report of a man trying to hitch a ride by the roadside near a parked pickup truck on a portion of Rte 94. When officers arrived at the scene, they soon realized that the subject had allegedly been involved in a road accident. The individual was reportedly arrested for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol. In addition to receiving summonses for DWI and breath test refusal, he was also cited for careless operation of a motor vehicle and driving an uninsured vehicle.
In another incident, officers were alerted to a reportedly erratic driver along a stretch of Rte 94 near the crossroads of Maple Grange Rd. When patrolmen caught sight of a motor vehicle matching descriptions from concerned citizens around Country Rd. 517 near Vernon Valley Lake, the police pulled over the suspect vehicle near Forsythia Rd. During the police stop, officers asked the 49-year-old male driver to perform a number of standardized field sobriety test, which he apparently failed. The man was taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. The list of summonses included those for drunk driving, driving on a suspended driver’s license, careless driving, and having an open alcoholic beverage container in his vehicle.
In a third traffic incident, a 20-year-old man from the Vernon, NJ, area was a passenger in a car pulled over for a safety belt violation. Not long after the traffic stop patrolmen observed what they believed to be drug paraphernalia on man’s person. During a subsequent investigation, the officers made a search of the suspect vehicle, which reportedly revealed a “white substance” believed to be crack cocaine. According to news reports, that individual was subsequently charged with possession of cocaine, as well as some other offenses.
AIM Vernon: Police Blotter; NorthJersey.com; April 4, 2014