Among the more common traffic stops here in the Garden State are those for speeding, improper lane change, faulty vehicle equipment and others. For a fair percentage of those drivers stopped for a relatively minor traffic offense, there are no serious repercussions; however, a segment of the driving public can end their day in some instances with a court summons for drunken driving. As New Jersey DWI defense lawyers, we understand how easy it truly is to find oneself on the wrong end of the law.
It’s no secret that intoxicated driving is a common and year-round problem for many municipalities across the Garden State. But the incidence of impaired vehicle operation can certainly become more so during the warm-weather months. I and my colleagues recognize this and offer the following news items as examples of the random, yet hardly infrequent kinds of DWI and drug DUI arrests here in New Jersey.
Whether one lives or works in Union County, the circumstances surrounding alcohol-related traffic offenses always seem to be similar, if only because they usually begin with a basic traffic infraction or other driver mistake leading to a police stop. Here are just a few examples:
Cranford Driver Stopped in Parking Lot, Arrested for DWI
Garwood police officers were called to the scene of a 55-year-old woman acting disoriented in front of a Radio Shack store at the Garwood Mall just before 9pm in the evening. Based on news reports, after arriving at the scene the officers in charge found the lady attempting to drive out of the parking lot in her Ford Escape sport utility vehicle. The local resident was stopped by the patrolmen nearby along a stretch of South Ave. In addition to drunken driving, she was arrested and charged with careless driving, impeding traffic, and crossing the double yellow line. Following processing at the Garwood police department, the woman was released pending a court date.
Breath Test Refusal and DUI Charges Pressed Against Union County Man
A 40-year-old motorist was stopped by police along a stretch of North Ave. East near Forest for what police described as erratic vehicle operation. The initial traffic stop took place around 11:30pm on a Sunday night. According to reports, the officers observed a 1997 Jeep SUV being driven erratically, after which the officers pulled the car over and interviewed the driver. After apparently determining that the man was impaired by alcohol, the patrolmen arrested the driver and charged him with drunk driving. An additional charge of breath test refusal was also added later on. The motorist was later released pending a court appearance.
Berkeley Heights Police Charge Female Driver with DUI
During the early hours on a Tuesday morning, Patrolmen from the Berkeley Heights Township Police Department stopped a 2005 Honda passenger car for several alleged vehicle violations. During the midnight traffic stop, officers apparently determined that the 38-year-old driver was impaired by alcohol. The woman, a resident of Bound Brook, NJ, was taken into custody and charged with driving while intoxicated, as well as failure to maintain lane, cellphone use while driving and careless driving. She was released pending a court date and turned over to the custody of a responsible family member.
Westfield, NJ, Driver Hit with Drunken Driving Charges in Garwood
A 29-year-old man behind the wheel of an ’08 Ford Edge was observed by police officers driving carelessly along a stretch of Spruce Ave. at around 11pm on a Thursday night. Based on news reports, the driver was pulled over by police and a subsequent investigation revealed that the Union County man had an open container of alcohol as well as drug paraphernalia in his vehicle. Officers arrested the driver and took him into police headquarters for processing. He was charged with DWI, open alcoholic beverage contained in a motor vehicle, plus possession of drug paraphernalia.
Westfield resident charged with DWI, NJ.com, July 22, 2013
Union resident charged with DWI and refusal to provide breath samples, NJ.com, June 12, 2013
DWI, other charges follow traffic stop in Berkeley Heights; NJ.com; June 01, 2013
Cranford woman faces DWI, other charges in Garwood; NJ.com; May 26, 2013