Drug DWI

January 16, 2012

Monmouth, NJ, Drunk Driving Update: New Jersey Marijuana Use or Possession Charges can be Serious

For anyone who has ever been stopped by police here in the Garden State for drunken driving, impaired driving due to prescription medication (aka drug DUI), or operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), you know that the potential consequences could be harsh and have long lasting effects.

Of course, alcohol use is one of the most common “legal” pastimes in Bergen, Middlesex, Ocean and Hudson counties, however other illegal substances, such as cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, are also being used by drivers on public roads. Of those illicit drugs, marijuana is without a doubt one of the more common illegal substances encountered by state and local police across New Jersey.

Arrests of drivers from all walks of life by New Jersey law enforcement officers for marijuana-related offenses are commonplace, which is not surprising in the least considering that an estimated 35 billion dollars’ worth of marijuana is cultivated in the United States each year. In fact, with medicinal marijuana becoming more prevalent, there is a good chance that more people than ever before probably know someone who uses marijuana legally or illegally from time to time.

Even so, persons who are arrested for marijuana use or possession in Monmouth, Sussex, Passaic or Atlantic counties should take very seriously any charges levied by police. Even though marijuana may be considered to be a rather low-level drug in the grand scheme of things, the New Jersey court system treats this CDS drug no differently than any other violation of state law.
Continue reading

December 20, 2011

Hudson County, NJ, Police Arrest Driver on DUI, Illegal Drug Possession Charges

by Jonathan F. Marshall

For those who have been arrested or charged with driving under the influence of either prescription drugs or other, possibly illegal substances (also known as drug DUI), you may wonder if the police and the prosecutor’s office have the necessary evidence to secure a guilty verdict in court. Depending on the circumstances, one should always consider consulting a qualified DWI defense attorney; one with experience in representing motorists charged with drunken driving and drug DUI.

As New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyers, I and my colleagues are trained to work with the facts and understand the State’s evidence against and individual. Whether one lives or works in Bergen, Monmouth, Ocean or Atlantic County, the law is clear when it comes to charges related to DUIs tied to prescription medication and even illicit drugs like marijuana and cocaine.

Defending a person accused of drug DUI has certain differences from an alcohol-related DWI case. Here in the Garden State, a charge of drug DUI can be levied against a New Jersey motorist who may be suspected of driving while impaired due to a possible controlled dangerous substance (CDS) or doctor-prescribed medication. These include any narcotic, hallucinogenic or habit-forming drug.
Continue reading

December 18, 2011

Roxbury, NJ, Auto Accident News: Alcohol Blamed in Traffic Death of Mount Arlington Patrolman

by Jonathan F. Marshall

While getting a summons for drunken driving should not be taken lightly here in the Garden State, there are worse alcohol-related offenses that one should be concerned about. Being arrested for drunk driving at a typical sobriety checkpoint is one way to be introduced to your local legal system, however if one were to be charged with DWI following an injury accident, this can be a much more serious situation.

As New Jersey DWI defense lawyers, I and my staff of qualified drunken driving defense attorneys have the skills and years of courtroom experience to represent motorists accused of impaired driving. This applies to alcohol-related DWIs as well as drug-related DUIs; for many people, it is not unusual to be arrested for impaired driving while under the influence of doctor-prescribed medications. Less common, but nonetheless valid are arrests that involve illicit drugs (also known as controlled dangerous substances, or CDS), such as cocaine and marijuana.

But all this pales in comparison to one of the most serious charges, that of driving under the influence and causing a fatal collision. While some individuals may debate the relative merits of consulting an experienced DWI attorney for a “simple” drunk driving charge, a DWI coupled with a potential vehicular homicide charge leaves little to ponder about.
Continue reading

December 4, 2011

Bergen County Police Blotter: Ridgewood, Ramsey and Park Ridge DWI Arrests, Drug DUI Charges

by Jonathan F. Marshall

With the holidays fast upon us there is a more than better chance that someone you know may be stopped by state police or local law enforcement for some type of traffic violation. Of those Garden State motorists stopped by police for offenses such as speeding, improper lane change, or an number of so-called minor traffic infractions, there is always a chance that the driver may be accused of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Being impaired by beer, wine, hard liquor or prescription medication (drug DUI) is cause for a patrolman to arrest a driver for driving while intoxicated. A DWI or DUI arrest can also lead to extensive fines and other penalties, even for a first-time offender. It’s not unusual an individual convicted for multiple offenses to also face jail time, depending on the circumstances. As New Jersey drunken driving defense lawyers, I and my staff of legal professionals have the skills and experience in representing drivers accused of DWI and drug DUI (including cases where illicit drugs — also known as controlled dangerous substances, or CDS — such as marijuana and cocaine are involved).

Anyone who is arrested for driving under the influence faces similar charges and, likewise, similar penalties, the individual circumstances will vary accordingly. The following is a short list of recent arrests by police officers in Bergen County, though DWI and drug DUI arrest happen every day in other counties across the state, such as Monmouth, Union, Passaic and Essex. Here are some examples:

Ridgewood, NJ
Late on a Monday evening, a local patrolman stopped a vehicle driving along a stretch of N. Maple Ave. The officer apparently stopped the motorist because of visible front-end damage and a report of a hit-and-run accident in the Ho-Ho-Kus area. As a result of the traffic stop, the policeman determined that the driver was in fact involved in said traffic accident. On further investigation, the police officer also determined that the 30-year-old out-of-state driver behind the wheel was impaired due to alcohol consumption. The man was taken into custody and charged with drunk driving, marijuana (CDS) possession and drug paraphernalia possession, open alcoholic beverage container in a motor vehicle. In addition to DWI, the driver was also charged with careless and unsafe driving. He was released pending a court appearance.
Continue reading

November 19, 2011

NJ Drunk Driving News: New Jersey Drivers Convicted of DWI Can Face Severe Driving Restrictions

by Jonathan F. Marshall

With the economy still faltering and many people in counties like Atlantic, Middlesex and Monmouth have been seeking cheaper means of transportation, from public transportation to more personal modes of getting around, those motorists arrested or already convicted of driving while intoxicated have an added hurdle. As New Jersey drunken driving defense lawyers, I and my legal staff understand the implications of a drunk driving arrest, not to mention a potential conviction for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs (drug DUI).

With the approach of winter weather, it’s difficult to imagine riding a bicycle or motorcycle to school or work, but for some there is little alternative, save walking. Anyone caught driving while impaired by alcohol, doctor-prescribed medication or even illicit drugs, such as marijuana or cocaine, have the added complication of being barred from driving a motor vehicle for months or even years.

Weather conditions not withstanding, some may think that a bike would be the perfect alternative, and it sometimes is, though much slower than a car or bus. Because of this, some people have turned to a quicker although slightly more expense alternative to the typical bike.

November 3, 2011

Ocean County, NJ, DWI News: Manpower Reductions Affecting Lacey Township’s Drop in Drunken Driving Arrests

by Jonathan F. Marshall

While some municipalities across the Garden State are claiming continued victory in the battle against drunken driving — quantified by the total number of DWI and drug DUI arrests annually — other towns and cities are seeing cutbacks in manpower, which apparently is taking its toll on the number of motorists being charged with driving while intoxicated. Doubtless, the effects of a struggling economy are being felt all over, even in Monmouth,Bergen and Ocean County, among others.

With many police departments trying to do more with less, it’s not surprising that areas like Lacey Twp. are feeling the pinch. According to news reports, less manpower on the street has equated to fewer drunk driving summonses. In Lacey, arrests for driving under the influence have been on the decrease since 2008, based on news reports.

As New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, my firm is trained to represent those individuals who have been charged with driving while impaired by alcohol, doctor-prescribed medications, or controlled dangerous substances (CDS), such as marijuana and cocaine. The penalties for DWI and drug DUI can be quite harsh, even for first-time offenders, which is why we always recommend consulting an experienced drunken driving defense lawyer after a police arrest.

Getting back to the effect of reduced manpower on the state and local police departments; although studies on nationwide instances of DWI indicate that Americans may be drinking and driving less frequently, statistics coming out of some New Jersey municipalities show that DWI arrest rates have at best remained unchanged — Barnegat Township is apparently one of those “steady-state” areas, which flies in the face of the overall downward trend in DWI-DUI arrests across the rest of the U.S.
Continue reading

November 2, 2011

Monmouth County Drunk Driving News: Teens’ Car Strikes Police Car at DWI Checkpoint, Officer Injured

by Jonathan F. Marshall

There are always a few things that you don’t want to happen when it comes to driving drunk here in the Garden State. First, underage drinking (and even underage possession of alcohol) should be avoided since it can affect a youngster’s future without him or her even knowing it. Second, if one is bound and determined to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or prescription medication (drug DUI), don’t hit a police patrol car or injure an officer while you’re at it.

As New Jersey DWI defense lawyers, I and my staff of experienced drunken driving attorneys understand that kids experiment with all manner of things and activities. Some are harmless, some simply embarrassing; but drinking and driving as a minor can put a real dent in one’s future. Of course, teenagers are not always receptive to this message, so it really goes out to all the parents.

This warning applies to families all across the state. Whether you live in Atlantic, Sussex, Ocean or Passaic County, DWI and drug DUI can be costly, not only financially but in terms of being potentially damaging to one’s social standing and career prospects as well. For teens, an arrest for DWI or drug DUI can affect individuals in their adult years as well, which makes it advisable to contact a qualified drunk driving defense attorney to better understand the charges against your underage son or daughter.

Earlier this month, two teenagers ended up in trouble at one of the many roadside DWI checkpoints that appear from time to time across the state. This one, in Monmouth County, was about to go into operation by the Holmdel police. According to news reports, police were setting up the roadblock when the incident occurred just before midnight.
Continue reading

October 27, 2011

Drunk Driving Stats Show Decrease Nationwide, But New Jersey Arrests Holding Steady

by Jonathan F. Marshall

One would think that with all the extra anti-drunken driving enforcement across this state that surely New Jersey would be experiencing a decrease in DWIs just like the rest of the nation. Apparently, that’s hardly the case. Whether due to what some might call “over-enforcement” or because the Garden State has such a large population that it tends to set its own standards, one thing is for certain: this is not the place to get behind the wheel in anything near an impaired condition.

From Passaic to Ocean and Bergen to Cape May County, local and state police are constantly on the alert for any motorist that may be inebriated. Intoxication due to beer, wine or hard liquor; or impairment from prescription medication or even illicit drugs like cocaine and marijuana, this state’s law enforcement community is reportedly racking up its share of DWI and drug DUI arrests on a weekly basis.

As New Jersey drunk drivin defense attorneys, we know how easy it can be to be stopped on the road while legally intoxicated. Even those people who believe whole-heartedly that they are not drunk have been arrested and taken before a magistrate to face stiff penalties for DWI, DUI, breath test refusal and other drunk driving-related charges.

A recent news article seems to indicate that, here in New Jersey, the number of arrests for driving under the influence is not declining in concert with the nationwide drop in drunk drivers. What does it mean? Well, it would appear that New Jersey drivers in places such as Ocean County’s Barnegat Twp. need to consider that local police are still out in force, arresting drunken drivers and handing out summonses at about the same rate as in prior years.
Continue reading

October 18, 2011

New Jersey Drunk Driving News: Camden and Gloucester County Police Officers Named Toughest for DWI Arrests

by Jonathan F. Marshall

As we mentioned a few weeks back, many cities and towns throughout the Garden State have received funding for enhanced DWI patrols and drunken driving checkpoints (also referred to as DWI roadblocks). Many of these municipalities also happen to have some of the highest arrest rates in the state, which may in part be doe to the additional funding, or could be attributable to the zealous nature of their police force, at least as it applies to enforcing drunken driving laws.

As a New Jersey DWI defense attorney, my firm represents numerous drivers from counties such as Middlesex, Bergen, Hudson and Union who have been accused of driving while intoxicated, impaired driving due to prescription medication as well as breath test refusal and marijuana possession in a motor vehicle. It goes without saying that a percentage of these individuals likely were stopped in areas receiving funding for increased DWI enforcement.

As we have said before, suspicion that a driver may have had too much to drink is not sufficient grounds for the police to stop a vehicle. In order for a drunken driving arrest to be valid, the officer in charge must first have reasonable suspicion that a traffic infraction has been committed; this usually means that the officer must first observe the driver of a car or truck perform an illegal traffic maneuver, exceed the posted speed limit, operate his or her vehicle with some kind of equipment problem, or another kind of traffic offense.
Continue reading

October 12, 2011

Union County, NJ, Police Blotter Reports Numerous Drunken Driving and Marijuana Arrests

by Jonathan F. Marshall

With nearly nine million residents, the Garden State has the greatest population density of all 50 states, which might explain the constant stream of drunk driving arrests all across the state. As New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, I and my staff of experienced litigators understands how easily a motorist can become entangled in the state’s legal system following a seemingly simple traffic stop.

The fact of the matter is, nobody expects to be pulled over by a state police trooper or a local municipal patrolman, however police stops for minor traffic violations can many times precipitate into an arrest for driving while intoxicated. Anyone who has ever gone to an acquaintance’s home for a birthday celebration or gone out with friends to enjoy a pleasant evening eating good food and having some wine or after-dinner drinks will likely recall the concern of being stopped for a DWI.

Even if a person isn’t a drinker, the use of doctor-prescribed medication can have an unexpected affect on a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, which may not have been immediately obvious. Just the same, however, once a police officer has stopped a driver for a traffic infraction, the opportunity for a DWI or DUI is always there.

As the following items from the Cranford, NJ, police blotter illustrate, being stopped for driving under the influence of alcohol or drug DUI is neither uncommon nor exceptional. In fact, these reports are typical of the drunk driving cases that come through New Jersey courtrooms on a weekly basis.
Continue reading