New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog
We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating once again. Drinking and driving is not just a risky behavior in terms of losing one’s license or paying thousands of dollars in fines; driving in an impaired state can potentially risk the driver’s life and the lives of those around him. As New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, we work hard to clear the names of those individuals who have been accused of driving while intoxicated by alcohol or impaired by drugs. However, this doesn’t mean that we encourage anyone to drink and drive.
For drivers here in the Garden State, it should come as no surprise that municipal police, state troopers and other law enforcement personnel maintain a very dim view of drivers who operate their motor vehicles while being even the slightest bit tipsy or inebriated. The same can be said for the judges in this state. For those convicted of DWI or drug DUI, the New Jersey DWI statutes provide stiff penalties for intoxicated or impaired driving.
Besides possible loss of driving privileges, monetary fees, fines and assessments can add up to thousands of dollars depending on the extent of the charges. Just the thought of losing one’s personal independence can make many motorists think twice about even taking one drink and then getting behind the wheel. But there are worse scenarios.
While most drivers would never contemplate causing an accident, the odds of being involved in a car, truck or motorcycle crash while under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs is markedly increased over those times when a driver is sober. And while compounding any traffic offense with a charge of drunk driving is hardly advisable, being the cause of an injury accident while allegedly under the influence of alcohol or a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) is even more serious.
As New Jersey DWI defense lawyers, my legal staff are ready, willing and able to assist those individuals accused of DWI or drug DUI. We will say, however, that being involved in an injury accident or fatal collision can make a DWI defense much more involved. Combining a car wreck with alcohol or illicit substances like cocaine, meth and marijuana is nothing to joke about. In fact, we were reminded of this not long ago by a news article out of Bergen County.
According to reports, a Rutherford man who was charged with DWI following a severe auto accident was arrested on additional charges after the victim of the crash died from her injuries at the hospital a couple days later. Based on police reports the initial accident took place on a Thursday evening just before 8pm when a 22-year-old driver from Bergen County apparently clipped a pedestrian in East Rutherford, NJ.
The initial auto-pedestrian sent a 28-year-old woman from Carlstadt to the hospital after she was hit by the defendant’s vehicle after he allegedly lost control of it and the vehicle mounted the curb. Initially charged with aggravated vehicular assault within 1,000 feet of a school, as well as drunk driving, the man was subsequently arrested by police to likely be charged in connection with the victim’s death. According to news articles, the man was later remanded to the Bergen County jail in lieu of $75,000 bail with no 10 percent cash option.
UPDATE: Rutherford man arrested for East Rutherford accident; NorthJersey.com; August 29, 2013
N.J. Man Charged With DWI Facing Additional Charge After Victim Dies, CBSLocal.com, August 25, 2013