Underage DWI

December 16, 2010

Monmouth County, NJ, Drunk Driving News: Multiple New Jersey DWI and Drug DUI Arrests

Drunken driving arrests happen daily in New Jersey. As Monmouth, Atlantic andMiddlesex County DWI lawyers, I and my staff have the skills and experience to represent those individuals accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, prescription medication and even illegal drugs such as marijuana. The following list of intoxicate driving arrests and other DUI offenses are a sampling of the situations in which many New Jersey motorists find themselves from time to time.

Holmdel
A 22-year-old out-of-state driver was reportedly stopped on Telegraph Hill Road for driving while intoxicated. A police patrol apparently noticed the man’s vehicle being driven in a possibly erratic manner, after which the driver was pulled over. He was arrested for DWI and taken to police headquarters for processing. The man was later released pending a court appearance.

On that same day, a 24-year-old motorist was pulled over along a stretch of Rte. 35 by a police officer and was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence. The man was later taken to headquarters, processed and released pending a future court appearance.

Three young people, two men and a woman under the age of 21, were arrested by police for underage possession of alcohol. The trio from Brick, Point Pleasant and Point Pleasant Beach were all taken to police headquarters for processing before being released. Each of the three will have to return for a court appearance.

Belmar
Police made a DWI arrest on Main St. in Belmar when they apparently spotted car being driven erratically. The 42-year-old driver, who reportedly resisted arrest, was charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated assault and obstructing justice.

Wall
Route 35 has been the scene of more than a few DWI arrests. According to reports, an 18-year-old Wall Twp. Man was stopped by police near New Bedford Rd. and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol. In another unrelated instance, a 26-year-old Seaside Heights resident was stopped by patrolmen near Church Road and arrested for intoxicated driving.

Around the same time, a 31-year-old Belmar man was arrested by police in the vicinity of 16th Ave. and Maplewood Rd. and subsequently charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana.
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November 28, 2010

NJ Police Blotter: Ocean County Drunk Driving, Underage Possession of Alcohol and CDS Arrests

by Jonathan F. Marshall

An out-of-state motorist was pulled over on West Bay Ave. in Barnegat Township when officers observed a vehicle being driven the wrong way. Stopping the vehicle, police interviewed the 48-year-old driver who apparently exhibited signs of being drunk and under the influence of alcohol. The man was arrested by officers, who charged him with a number of violations including DWI, reckless driving and traveling the wrong way on a one-way street.

Another Ocean County arrest occurred along Rte 72 when a patrolman stopped a man for speeding along a stretch of the road. According to police reports, the 23-year-old driver was allegedly found to have an open container of alcohol in his vehicle at the time of the traffic stop. As a result, police arrested the driver and charged him with DWI, having an open alcoholic beverage container in the vehicle, as well as reckless driving and speeding. The man was subsequently released.

A 55-year-old driver was stopped along a stretch of Barnegat Blvd. after police observed his vehicle traveling the wrong way on a one-way street. The South Plainfield resident was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, as well as reckless driving, driving the wrong way and having an open alcohol container in his vehicle. He was subsequently released from custody.

November 23, 2010

Ocean County, NJ, DWI News: Drunken New Jersey Teenager Crashes Stolen Truck into Building

by Jonathan F. Marshall

It may seem incredible to some people, but teenage drinking is not an isolated problem here in New Jersey. As Ocean, Passaic and Middlesex County drunk driving defense lawyers, I and my staff see a variety of individuals come through our doors seeking help with DWI, DUI and breath test refusal charges. We also know of families whose teens and preteens have been charged with underage possession and driving under the influence.

According to a news article, Point Pleasant police picked up a youngster who allegedly crashed a stolen vehicle into a local place of business. Based on police reports, the incident took place in the early morning hours on a Sunday when a 15-year-old male crashed a pickup truck into a building apparently after a brief police pursuit.

It all happened after an off-duty patrolman noticed a 1996 Dodge Ram pickup being driven erratically without its headlamps on just before 4am. The officer reportedly followed the vehicle into a nearby community, catching up to the apparently drunken youngster along Trenton Ave. When the officer attempted to stop the truck, the young driver allegedly drove away from the officer, who gave pursuit.

November 15, 2010

Madison, NJ, DWI and Drug DUI News: Drug Possession, Under-age Alcohol Possession and Drunk Driving

by Jonathan F. Marshall

As Morris County drunk driving defense attorneys, my office represents motorists charged with DWI and drug DUI offenses. Incidents of driving under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, whether prescription or illegal substances such as marijuana, occur with relative frequency all across New Jersey.

Examples of arrests for driving while intoxicated can be found in the news almost every day. The following reports are just a sampling of the kinds of DWI and DUI traffic stops that happen on the roads throughout the Garden State. Regardless of the circumstances, it is always important to contact an experienced DWI defense lawyer to understand your options.

Early in the morning on a Thursday a 21-year-old driver was stopped by police for a motor vehicle violation. The incident quickly developed into a case of possession of drug paraphernalia. According to reports, the Bayonne, NJ, man was stopped for speeding. During the traffic stop the officer in charge determined that the motorist had some drug paraphernalia in the car. The man was taken to police headquarters for processing. He was subsequently released with a summons for speeding and a pending court date.

May 19, 2010

NJ Drunk Driving Defense News: Lyndhurst Police Net Two DWI Arrests Following Traffic Stops

by Jonathan F. Marshall

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.

May 12, 2010

NJ DWI News: Will New Law Increase Police Focus on Young Drivers, Drunk or Otherwise?

by Jonathan F. Marshall

A recently passed law requires drivers under the age of 21 to place a red sticker on their vehicle’s license plates. While the intent of the law appears to be a good-hearted attempt at traffic safety, as a New Jersey DWI defense attorney I tend to side with those claiming the $4 sticker will only invite unwarranted scrutiny and potential discrimination against a segment of the driving public.

When it comes to drunk driving enforcement, New Jersey State Police and municipal police officers are always on the lookout for motorists who may be operating their vehicles while impaired due to alcohol, prescription drugs or controlled dangerous substances (CDS). Young drivers who exhibit traffic behavior suggesting inebriation could quite possibly by singled out due to that red mark on their license plate.

According to an editorial, the new law that took effect on May 1 will must likely lead to discrimination against young drivers which probably wouldn’t happen without a red dot. According to the author, New Jersey is one of the top ten safest states for teenage drivers. Referring to the 2001 law that established a curfew for teenagers and significantly decreased the teen driver accident rates, the editorial asks if there is any good reason to put another law into effect.

May 11, 2010

Drinking and Driving by Minors in New Jersey: Heavy Consequences Apply to Underage DWI Convictions

by Jonathan F. Marshall

Here in New Jersey, state and local law enforcement agencies take underage drinking very seriously. As a minor or parent of an underage child, you should know that New Jersey law is very specific when it comes to underage drinking and driving. Since a person must be 21 years or older to puchase, be in possession of or consume an alcoholic beverage, underage drinking is — by definition — against the law.

The consequences of underage drinking are rather severe under state law, especially as when as it applies to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. But regardless of whether you are stopped for DWI while operating a vehicle, simply being convicted of underage drinking could very probably affect your driving privileges into the future.

Case in point, say an individual under 21 is arrested for purchasing and/or consuming a beer or wine cooler at a licensed establishment,that person could be fined $500, not to mention lose his or her driver’s license for a maximum of 6 months. Parents please make a note here: Even if your youngster doesn’t have his or her driver’s license yet, the potential driver’s license suspension will begin as soon as he or she becomes eligible to receive their license. Furthermore, any youngster who violates New Jersey’s underage drinking laws may also be required to attend an alcohol treatment or education program.

April 16, 2010

Morris County DWI and Drug DUI News: Madison, NJ, Drunk Driving Arrest Police Blotter

by Jonathan F. Marshall

In the early hours on a Wednesday morning, police observed a vehicle apparently being driven in an erratic manner. Pulling the car over to issue a traffic citation, the patrolman likely detected evidence of drinking and driving on the driver’s part, after which the 20-year-old female resident of Greenvillage, New Jersey, was arrested for driving while intoxicated. The officer took the allegedly drunken driver to police headquarters and charged with DWI. She was released to the custody of a friend not long afterward.

In a potential case of drug DUI, a 19-year-old out-of-state woman was found by police to be in possession of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia following a routine traffic stop in the municipality of Madison, New Jersey. Although the officer in charge had originally stopped the vehicle apparently for a moving violation, he discovered that a passenger was in possession of a schedule 3 narcotic. The woman was transported to headquarters for processing and later released pending a court appearance.

During a routine early evening traffic stop for defective vehicle, a Madison, NJ, police officer apparently suspected that one of the passengers in the vehicle may have had some kind of controlled dangerous substance (CDS) on his person. The suspect, a 19-year-old Fairlawn man, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana, possession of prescription legend narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Officers transported the man to headquarters for processing and then released him pending a court appearance.

March 12, 2010

New Jersey Drunk Driving News: Bergen County Man Charged with DWI Despite 0.0 Blood-alcohol Reading

by Jonathan F. Marshall

While fighting a DWI arrest is a fairly common practice, fighting a drunken driving charge after “blowing” a double-zero on an Alcotest device is somewhat out of the ordinary. As a New Jersey DWI defense attorney, I and my colleagues are certified in the proper use, operation and maintenance of the Alcotest breath testing machine typically in use by most all of New Jersey’s police departments and state DWI enforcement agencies.

According to a recent news article, a Garfield, NJ, man was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol even after he registered a 0.0 percent blood-alcohol content on not one, but two supposedly well-maintained and correctly calibrated Alcotest devices. Regardless, Fair Lawn police charged 20-year-old Dariusz Palka with DWI anyway.

Based on police reports, Palka was pulled over around 2am at a DWI sobriety checkpoint on Broadway and 17th Street while traveling in the city with a number of buddies back on December 19. The friends were reportedly looking for a place to eat as the reason for their late night drive.

December 26, 2009

New Jersey Drinking and Driving Defense Update: Underage DWI and its Consequences

by Jonathan F. Marshall

In New Jersey the law covering underage drinking and driving leaves little to the imagination. An individual must be 21 years of age or older to buy, be in possession or consume any type of alcohol-containing drink or beverage. In short: underage drinking is unequivocally defined as illegal. Because the state has such a strong stance against underage drinking, the legal consequences for this activity are severe under New Jersey law, especially when it comes to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Whether or not a youth is stopped for DWI, simply being convicted of drinking as a minor could affect that child’s future driving privileges. As a New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyer, I know the negative impact that DWI and underage DWI can have on an individual now and in the future. For kids, this is not an area of the law they would want to experience. As a parent, it would behoove you to talk to your child about the consequences of underage drinking and underage DWI.

In this state, if a person under 21 years old is arrested for purchasing or consuming an alcoholic drink in an establishment licensed to sell alcohol, he or she could be fined $500, as well as lose their driver’s license for up to six months. Parents take note here, because even if your child does not yet have a driver’s license that potential suspension will start when the youngster is first eligible to receive his or her license. Furthermore, a young person who violates underage drinking laws may also be required by the court to attend an alcohol treatment or education program.