New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog

Having worked both sides of the aisle -- previously as a municipal prosecutor and now as a defense attorney -- I understand the methods and strategies that the state's attorneys employ to attain drunken driving convictions in court. As New Jersey DWI defense lawyer, I and my colleagues represent all manner of clients, many of whom have been accused of driving while intoxicated, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of prescription medications (drug DUI) and even illicit drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana.

One thing we know, as drunk driving defense attorneys, is that a DWI arrest (much less an actual conviction for impaired driving) can greatly affect one's future employment, social standing, and family/marital relationships. While we understand that a drunk driving arrest is not desirable by any means, we also know that this does happen to many people, from all walks of life, and nearly every profession.

Surprisingly, even police officers can end up being arrested for drunken driving. From my years as a prosecuting attorney, I have a great respect for the hard work and dangers faced by our law enforcement officer every day. On the other hand, as a DWI defense attorney, I understand how easy it is for motorists to be accused of drunken driving here in the Garden State. What I cannot abide is when patrolmen and other officers of the court flout the very laws they are sworn to uphold and enforce.

Not long ago, a police officer from the Midland Park PD was charged with drunken driving when he was ticketed for crashing an all-terrain vehicle while allegedly under the influence of alcohol. Based on news reports, the accident occurred in Wyckoff when off-duty Midland Park patrolman, Joseph Gaeta crashed a four-wheeled ATV at the intersection of Greenhaven Rd. and Godwin Ave. during the mid afternoon.

Ironically, Gaeta had earlier that day been a non-uniformed participant in a DWI demonstration at the Bergen County Police Academy located in Mahwah, NJ. During the educational session, which was taught by representatives of the New Jersey State Police, Gaeta had apparently volunteered as a "controlled" drinking subject for the drunken driving class. During the session, the man was reportedly provided with a number of measured amounts of alcohol.

According to police, the class in which Gaeta was participating was designed to allow officers to observe subjects take breathalyzer tests before and after drinking certain amounts of alcohol. During the demonstration, Gaeta was reportedly given a breath test, at which time his blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.13 percent. Afterward, the man was given a ride home by another, sober, officer.

Strangely, news reports indicate that Gaeta, upon returning to his home, decided to ride an ATV along a stretch of Godwin Avenue. The accident apparently happened when the officer attempted a right-hand turn onto Greenhaven Rd; it was there where he reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which in turn flipped over.

Police reports indicate that the man received a number of serious injuries to his face, and that emergency responders transported Gaeta to the Hackensack University Medical Center for treatment. In a weird twist of fate, the off-duty policeman was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, along with several other traffic offenses.

Bergen officer charged with DWI after flipping ATV on street, CliffviewPilot.com, December 16, 2011

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

While the warm weather months are definitely behind us, New Jersey State Police and local law enforcement agencies note that parties and friendly get-togethers during the holidays also bring out the drinker in many drivers. As nearly anyone who drives in the Garden State understands, drunken driving enforcement never really lets up, especially during the peak holiday season.

As DWI defense lawyers serving residents of Bergen, Middlesex, Atlantic and other counties across the state, we are well versed in the tactics and strategies used by state and municipal police officers to secure the arrest of suspected drunk drivers. In fact, anyone who knowingly operates a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or, for that matter, prescription medication, should realize that the odds of being arrested for DWI or drug DUI can be quite high.

If a police officer witnesses a traffic violation, he or she will usually make a routine traffic stop based on that initial offense, minor as it may seem to the average driver. Once stopped, a motorist will be closely observed for signs of impairment, usually due to consumption of beer, wine or hard liquor. If the patrolman has a reasonable suspicion that the driver of a car, truck or motorcycle is inebriated an arrest is more or less forthcoming.

Continue reading "Monmouth County DWI Update: Thanksgiving Holiday Sees Rise in Drunken Driving Arrests for New Jersey Motorists" »

First and foremost, anti-drunken driving enforcement in the Garden State is handled in a number of ways. While enhanced roving DWI patrols in counties like Monmouth, Bergen and Ocean are often used before and during popular holidays, such as July Fourth, New Year's, Memorial Day and others, drunk driving checkpoints, or Sobriety roadblocks as they are also known, are randomly set up all over the state usually in the late evening and early morning hours on Fridays and Saturdays -- days of the week that typically have a higher incidence of motorists driving while intoxicated.

As New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyers, I and my legal staff are familiar with the typical tactics used by state and municipal law enforcement agencies to catch drivers who may be operating their car, truck or motorcycle while impaired due to alcohol or prescription drug use. In a percentage of cases, drivers are arrested for driving under the influence of illicit drugs (also known as controlled dangerous substances), like cocaine and marijuana (drug DUI).

When it comes to Sobriety checkpoints, these are commonly used by police departments to catch drunken drivers and help reduce many of the alcohol-related traffic accidents and fatalities throughout the state. So as to be fair, especially under New Jersey state law, state, county and municipal law enforcement authorities are required to publish the operating times and specific locations of upcoming sobriety roadblocks.

As drunk driving defense attorneys representing New Jersey drivers who have been accused of DWI or DUI, we know that that the mandatory public notification of these drunk driving checkpoints are not always published in the most convenient or accessible manner. This is why, from time to time, we ourselves post notices of upcoming or active DWI roadblocks for public use.

It is our contention that if the public knows about the existence of a checkpoint/roadblock, then there would be a better chance that individuals would perhaps avoid the general area during those hours, especially due to the greater likelihood of coming into contact with a drunk driver. This is because, police departments are limited by law to set up DWI checkpoints only in areas that have a historically high rate of drunk driving arrests or accidents.

It goes without saying that during a DWI roadblock, motorists who are stopped by police may be subjected to field sobriety testing and/or breathalyzer testing as a way to determine the driver's blood-alcohol content, or BAC. We would remind any one who has been issued a summons for drunken driving arising from a police stop at a DWI checkpoint to seriously consider retaining a qualified drunk driving defense attorney to better understand one's rights under the law.

Continue reading "New Jersey DWI Defense Update: Drunk Driving Roadblocks Suspended in Elmwood Park; Not for Long" »

Unless one saw it in the paper or caught it online, we now know the top four places in the state that get the most funding for anti-drunken driving enforcement here in the Garden State. As New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, my firm is well aware of the lengths that the state and local towns and municipalities will go to arrest more and more drunken drivers, or at least charge motorists with allegedly driving while under the influence of alcohol or prescription medication (drug DUI).

We'll add here that one doesn't actually need to be legally drunk to be pulled over by an officer; in fact, the police can not stop a vehicle merely on a hunch that the driver is operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. What needs to happen is the officer only needs to observe that a traffic law has been broken -- this can include something as serious as a multi-vehicle accident, or as minor as a burned-out headlight or improper turn-signal usage.

Whatever the reason for the initial traffic stop, a drunken driving arrest may be right around the corner is the officer then detects evidence of driving while under the influence. This also goes for motorists who may have illegal drugs, such as marijuana or cocaine, both known as a controlled dangerous substance (CDS). Just possessing weed or cannabis in a motor vehicle can precipitate an arrest following a routine traffic stop.

Continue reading "New Jersey Drunken Driving Update: Top Places in the Garden State to Get a DWI" »

With so much emphasis on curbing drinking and driving here in the Garden State it's no surprise that a great deal of money is funneled to state and municipal law enforcement agencies for enhanced drunken driving saturation patrols and additional DWI roadblocks and sobriety checkpoints. While police agencies, government entities and traffic safety experts maintain that federal funding of anti-DWI campaigns, such as the "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" effort, is well spent, some may be concerned that the return on investment is less than optimal.

Nevertheless, as New Jersey drunk driving defense attorneys we see numerous potential clients who have been arrested or cited for driving while intoxicated in counties such as Hudson, Monmouth, Ocean and Sussex. While none of these individuals can be placed in any one category, it's a good bet that a percentage were not aware that they may have been legally drunk when they were stopped by a patrolman, or flagged over into one of the many DWI checkpoints that pop up from time to time.

The funding for enhanced anti-drunk driving enforcement patrols from time to time means that the odds of being picked up for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, prescription meds (drug DWI) or even illegal substances, like marijuana or cocaine, is greatly increased. In fact, towns like Elmwood Park in Bergen County, NJ, have the advantage of being funded on a fairly regular basis to fight drunken driving.

According to news articles, toward the end of August, Bergen County collected more than $100,000 in reimbursements for traffic enforcement activities by the county's law enforcement departments. These funds included monies earmarked for anti-drunk-driving campaigns that went to municipalities such as Elmwood Park, which alone received more than $40,000 from the Bergen County prosecutor's office for enhanced DWI enforcement patrols and roadside sobriety checkpoints.

Continue reading "Bergen County Police Departments Get Large Infusion of Money for Increased DWI Patrols" »

Whether you live or work here in Monmouth, NJ, or in Hudson, Bergen or Atlantic County, as a New Jersey motorist you have no doubt seen or been directed into one of the frequent police checkpoints used to catch drivers who may be operating their car or truck under the influence of alcohol (beer, wine, or hard liquor), prescription medication or even illicit drugs or other controlled dangerous substances (CDS) such as marijuana or cocaine.

Each of these sobriety roadblocks, also known as DWI checkpoints, is designed to bring drivers in close contact with local, municipal and state police officers so that they can determine if a driver has been drinking alcohol or ingesting some type of substance that may cause impaired driving. Upon being identified as possibly impaired by some substance, the patrolman in charge will most likely as the driver to step out of his or her vehicle in order to perform one or more standardized field sobriety tests.

Although the number and order of the standard field sobriety tests given during a DWI traffic stop tend to vary depending on the police officer and the particular situation in which the driver may find himself, the following is list of the tests that are usually used to some extent or antoher:

-- Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus

-- Head-tilt

-- Touching a finger to one's nose

-- Balancing one leg

-- Walking heal-to-toe

-- Reciting the ABCs

-- Counting

The most common of these tests is the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, during which the officer attempts checks to see how smoothly an individual's eyes are tracking a finger or pen in front of his or her face. A knowledgeable attorney knows to do a thorough analysis of the testing done by the arresting officer in order to determine whether or not the field sobriety tests were administered properly.

Continue reading "Bergen County DWI Defense News: Elmwood Park, NJ, Police Catch 18 Drunk Drivers" »

For many New Jersey residents, rather than enjoy this past Labor Day weekend they likely spent most of their time cleaning up from the effects of tropical storm Irene. Still, in areas less affected, surely some Garden State drivers saw some increased drunken driving enforcement activities by state and local police. As part of the national "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" campaign, it's a fair bet that dozens of motorists had encounters with law enforcement officers during what has become an annual anti-DWI effort.

Of course, it's hardly a good idea to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of beer, wine or hard liquor, as well as illicit drugs such as marijuana and cocaine. But during the last two weeks, drivers who did take their chances by drinking and driving may have met with a DWI or drug DUI arrest or summons to appear in court.

This effort took place in nearly every county across New Jersey, including Bergen, Hudson, Union, Monmouth and Ocean, just to name a few. As a drunken driving defense lawyer and former municipal prosecutor myself, I understand how some individuals can be pickup up for driving while intoxicated, though perhaps be unaware that they were legally impaired at the time of their arrest.

Whether stopped by a rolling DWI patrol for an apparent minor traffic offense, or being waved into a sobriety checkpoint (also known as a DWI roadblock) for observation by a police officer looking for drunken drivers, the resulting charges of drunken driving or impairment due to prescription medication or an illegal drug (also known as a controlled dangerous substance or CDS) can be costly in terms of fines and penalties, as well as the impact on an individual's personal and business relationships or standing in the community.

Continue reading "New Jersey DWI Update: Garden State Counties Join in NJ Law Enforcement Drunk Driving Crackdown" »

It appears that many of the stories we find in the news these days involve accused drunken drivers who have become involved in a car or truck accident as a result of their alleged alcohol consumption or use of prescription medication (drug DUI). A smaller percentage of accidents also involve individuals accused of illegal drug use, such as marijuana or cocaine (otherwise known as controlled dangerous substances, or CDS for short).

Regardless of whether a motorist lives or works in Sussex, Monmouth, Ocean or Passaic County, the aftermath of a potential DWI or drug DUI conviction can haunt a person for years following the initial incident. For this very reason it is always a good idea to retain the services of a competent and qualified drunken driving defense lawyer, if only to determine what your options might be following a DWI arrest.

For those picked up by police for drunk driving as a first offense, it may seem too easy to accept the penalties and plead guilty, while under the false impression that only one DWI conviction will not cause too much upheaval in one's life. Or those people who believe this is the best approach to a DWI-DUI arrest or summons, we couldn't disagree more.

To start, accepting a guilty plea for a first-time drunken driving offense may seem to be the easiest way to go -- and believe us, it is for the prosecuting attorney handling the case -- this is not going to make one's life easier. The penalties for a first offense may be slightly less than a second or third DWI offense, but the impact to one's auto insurance rates as well as the potential damage to one's personal and business reputations could be catastrophic.

Continue reading "Bergen County DWI Arrest News: Police Charge Drunken Driver after Motorist Hits Pedestrian at Meadowlands" »

For anyone who hasn't already noticed an increased police presence on New Jersey roadways this summer, it's that time again for stepped up drunken driving enforcement throughout the Garden State. What this means is that towns like Saddle Brook, NJ, will have their police officers working diligently to pickup motorists suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol, doctor-prescribed medications and even illicit drugs like marijuana and cocaine.

As drunken driving defense lawyers representing Garden State residents against charges of impaired driving, breath test refusal and possession of controlled dangerous substances in their vehicle, I and my colleagues understand the many and varied ways that a driver can be stopped and arrested for DWI and drug DUI. With the warm weather upon us and college students home for summer break, it's a foregone conclusion that drunken driving arrests will be on the increase throughout New Jersey counties, such as Mercer, Hudson, Essex and Ocean.

According to news articles, police departments in many towns and municipalities will be steeping up their anti-drunken driving patrols. Actually, these latest push is tied to the so-called "101 Days of Summer" DWI campaign in which increased police patrols (sometimes known as saturation patrols) will be used in an attempt to counteract the swelling of New Jersey's summertime population.

Police departments across the state will be carrying out similar efforts to the one detailed in a news article about the Saddle Brook Police Department's latest endeavor to catch and prosecute drunk drivers. As a former municipal prosecutor myself, I understand the strategies used by law enforcement and prosecuting attorneys to effect arrests as well as DWI convictions.

Continue reading "Bergen County DWI News: Saddle Brook Police Department begin Enhanced Summer Drunken Driving Enforcement" »

When it comes to driving under the influence of alcohol or prescription medication (drug DUI), the legal system in New Jersey can be very strict regarding sentencing for anyone convicted of DWI. Regardless of whether you live in Atlantic, Ocean, Middlesex or Union County, a drunken driving arrest is nothing to take lightly. Add to that a possible injury accident and most motorists should certainly consider talking to a qualified drunk driving defense lawyer.

As DWI attorneys serving drivers throughout the Garden State, I and my colleagues have vast experience in representing individuals charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), drug DUI (including marijuana possession in a motor vehicle) and breath test refusal. One thing we would suggest to anyone who attends a summer picnic or evening pub gathering is not to drink and drive. Most certainly, do not end up causing a traffic accident if you are in any way inebriated.

Not long ago, a resident of Bergen County found himself on the wrong side of the law when he reportedly crashed his car, injuring himself and all three of his passengers. According to news articles the wreck happened early Sunday morning when 20-year-old Ryuichi Nakada -- a resident of Bergenfield, NJ -- apparently lost control of his 2007 Nissan along a stretch of Hackensack Ave.

Based on reports, the Altima sedan for reasons unknown at the time of the accident struck a concrete lane divider, then hit a utility pole overturned onto its roof and eventually ended up in a nearby restaurant parking lot. Eye witnesses to the crash told officers that the vehicle was going northbound when it hit the median barrier near the entrance to Route 4 west. Police believed that the driver was drunk at the time of the impact.

Continue reading "New Jersey DWI News: Police Charge Bergen County Driver in Drunken Driving Injury Accident" »

The last time we mentioned unintended consequences. Well, there are unintended consequences for driving while intoxicated, either by alcohol, prescription meds, or illicit drugs such as marijuana or cocaine... and then the are unintended consequences of those original consequences, so to speak. One consequence that we would prefer not to see any person have to defend himself against is hitting a police vehicle while allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol.

As New Jersey DWI defense lawyers representing individuals from counties such as Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington and Passaic, we can say without much trepidation is don't even think of assaulting a law enforcement officer with a vehicle, drunk or not. This is a serious offense that can complicate a drunken driving defense without a doubt.

Not surprisingly, this type of helpful advice is ignored by more than a few people every year here in the Garden State. Such was the case for an out-of-state driver last month when he crashed his SUV into an Elmwood Park, NJ, police vehicle being used by none other than the department's chief of police.

According to news reports, the accident happened around 2:30am on May 15 as Police Chief Donald Ingrasselino and Lieutenant Frank Thorpe were heading to a DWI sobriety roadblock in Bergen County. Based on police reports, Chief Ingrasselino and Lt. Thorpe were traveling eastbound along Rte 46 toward the drunken driving checkpoint being operated that morning at Midland Avenue when their Dodge Durango was struck.

Continue reading "NJ Drunken Driving Defense News: Motorist Charged with DWI after Hitting Police Chief's Patrol Car" »

In the wake of controversy revolving around State Police Trooper Sheila McKaig's alleged drinking and driving incidents over the years, the New Jersey State Police have implemented new standards aimed at curbing potential abuses of power that some have said police officers occasionally commit when they are stopped for offenses such as DWI.

In McKaig's case, numerous news reports indicate that she was never ticketed even though the officer was stopped multiple times for driving while intoxicated over the course of three months back in 2008. In this particular situation, the judge in the case did not recommend firing the trooper outright on the grounds that that McKaig did seek counseling and has been considered a model for other police officers.

Back to the NJ State Police and its newly instituted policies for officers caught driving under the influence, according to reports, the agency has reportedly launched a review of the use by troopers of so-called "undercover identification cards." Along with this, orders from up the chain of command within the State Police reportedly increase the accountability on the part of higher-ranked officers and requires more careful review of traffic stops (including car accidents) that may have been related to alcohol consumption.

As a New Jersey drunken driving defense lawyer, I and my staff, understand that the police have a tough job of maintaining the peace and bringing alleged perpetrators to justice. However, when the rules cease to apply to the vary people entrusted with the public's safety this is when our tolerance as individuals and a society begins to be tested.

According to news reports, policy changes at the State Police will place responsibility squarely on the shoulders of regional commanders when a trooper is suspected of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. In fact, based on information provided by local news sources, higher-ranking officers may even be required to respond themselves to the scene of a possibly alcohol-related traffic incident involving another law enforcement officer.

Continue reading "New Jersey Drunk Driving News: State Police Institute Tighter Standards Regarding Troopers Arrested for DWI" »

Whether you live or work in Ocean, Sussex, Bergen or Union County, it's likely that nobody expects to be pulled over by police and arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol. Here in Monmouth County, as in the rest of the Garden State, I and my staff of experienced DWI defense attorneys fully understand the anxiety and trepidation that follows a drunken driving or drug DUI police stop.

For first-time drunk driving arrestees, and even those picked up for driving under the influence of prescription medication or illicit drugs such as marijuana, the experience can be a shock. But more than that, not taking action and leaving one's fate in the hands of the court is something that no one should allow to happen, if they can help it.

Of course, second and third-time offenders have a different set of circumstances to deal with, but in general, we always recommend that motorists consult with a qualified DWI lawyer. The reason is simple: being cited for impaired driving -- whether allegedly due consumption of beer, wine or hard liquor; prescription pain medication or a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) -- is nothing to be taken lightly.

Careers, marriages, and reputations have been ruined by drunken driving and DUI convictions. Of course, being arrested for driving while intoxicated can happen night or day. It usually, but not always, happens with a seemingly routine police stop for a supposedly minor traffic infraction -- something as insignificant as a faulty taillamp. Other times it can come at the location of a drunk driving roadblock (also known as a sobriety checkpoint).

Regardless of the circumstances, once charged with a DWI one should as a matter of course contact a DWI-DUI defense attorney. My office has handled enough DWI cases and spoken with so many people charged with DWI or DUI that we know it's not a wise idea to represent yourself in front of the court. Not only can the process of fighting a DWI arrest be confusing to the first-time defendant, there is no way that a layperson can come fully prepared to face the court - at least, not like one can with a qualified DWI defense lawyer at one's side.

Continue reading "Monmouth County DWI Defense: Things to Consider Following a Drunk Driving Arrest in New Jersey" »

Do drunk driving roadblocks enhance traffic safety and save lives? This is a question that people have been asking for many years. Here in the Garden State, criticism of sobriety checkpoints runs the gamut; from those who believe DWI and DUI roadblocks are highly effective in keeping intoxicated drivers off public roads to those who feel drunken driving checkpoints are a waste of taxpayer money and should be eliminated.

From our standpoint as New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, we can see both sides of the argument. But one thing is certain, drivers in Monmouth, Ocean and Sussex County continue to be arrested and ticketed for driving under the influence of alcohol, prescription medication and illicit drugs, such as marijuana and cocaine. Over in Bergen County the Elmwood Park police reported nine arrests during a recent DWI checkpoint; officers also issued 70 other individuals summonses for various other traffic offenses.

According to news reports, the mid-March drunk driving roadblock set up by local authorities ran from 11:30pm on a Friday night until 3:30am the next morning. The location of the checkpoint was along a stretch of westbound Rte46. Eight of those arrested were charged with driving under the influence; the remaining arrestee was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS).

This particular checkpoint is one of a string of DWI roadblocks that have been a relative fixture in that part of the county; based on news reports, the police have been operating roadblocks nearly weekly for the past several years.

Some of the arrests included a 26-year-old Passaic man; a 22-year-old driver from Clifton, NJ; and a 32-year-old out-of-state driver, all charged with DWI. A 22-year-old driver was also stopped by officers at the sobriety checkpoint and found to be in possession of a CDS. That individual, a resident of Newark, was arrested by police as well.

Another motorist from out-of-state was charged with drunk driving, while three additional New Jersey residents were also arrested for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Those three included a 23-year-old Patterson man, a 49-year-old Clifton resident, and a 31-year-old Bloomfield, NJ, driver were all charged with DWI.

Police checkpoint results in nine arrests, 70 summonses, NorthJersey.com, April 1, 2011