New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog
Being caught driving drunk on a Garden State roadway is embarrassing enough without being involved in a fender-bender while intoxicated. We said more than a few times in this forum that compounding a DWI arrest with a traffic accident, not to mention an injury-related crash, only complicates one’s drunken driving defense. Naturally, if a driver has any desires to avoid the stiff penalties that come with a DWI or drug DUI conviction, it is a wise choice to consult with a qualified drunk driving defense attorney in advance of one’s appearance in court.
Having represented our share of motorists accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, prescription medications and even controlled substances such as cocaine and marijuana, I and my colleagues understand the law in this area very well. As a New Jersey DWI defense lawyer and former municipal prosecutor myself, I and my legal staff understand the strategies and tactics of state, county and local prosecutors when it comes to pursuing and securing a drink driving conviction.
As mentioned previously, adding a traffic accident to the list of charges related to a DWI arrest cannot help but complicate a driver’s defense. Property damage and bodily injury, whether the defendant’s or another party will not endear one to the court; law enforcement will have already weighed in on the issue with their list of violations, as well.
A news item caught our attention regarding the confluence of forces that can sometimes make headlines for local news outlets. According to reports, two separate traffic incidents in Monmouth County resulted in two DWI arrests for the motorists involved.
Based on police reports, the first incident brought together a couple Rumson police officers and a car full of five young adults and one juvenile who must not have realized an open container of alcohol would raise suspicions to just beyond that of reasonable doubt. According to a news article, the patrolmen stopped a vehicle along a stretch of Shrewsbury Dr. after the car was observed traveling in excess of the posted speed limit.
The violation occurred just past Osprey Ln. at a little past 10pm, according to police records. Following the traffic stop, officers approached the suspect vehicle and apparently observed numerous open alcoholic beverage containers in plain view. The 18-year-old driver was taken into custody and charged with DWI, underage drinking, reckless driving, and possessing an open alcoholic beverage container in an automobile. To cap it off, the driver was also charged with providing alcohol to other underage persons.
Four of five passengers were, each 18 years of age, were charged with possession as well as consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Two of them were from Rumson, and two others were from Fair Haven. The fifth, a 17-year-old, was taken into custody and subsequently released to one of his parents.
In a second, unrelated incident, an officer on late-night patrol observed a motorcycle rider fall off of his mount around 11pm Sunday night as the man was driving eastbound along a stretch of Rumson Rd. not far from Ward Ave. The rider was taken into custody and charged by police with DWI, as well as breath test refusal, operating a motor vehicle on a revoked license and reckless driving. Additionally, the man was arrested for multiple outstanding warrants out of Highlands, NJ. Following the arrest, the rider was taken to Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, NJ, for treatment of various minor injuries he received during the accident.
Rumson Nabs Two for DWI, and More; RedbankGreen.com, May 7, 2012