New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog
Being stopped for drunken driving is not something that most individuals imagine will happen to them, but every week across the Garden State dozens of motorists find themselves in the unenviable position of being written up for DWI or drug DUI. As New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyers, I and my colleagues are well aware of the potential humiliation and negative career impact that a drunken driving arrest entails, and this doesn’t even address the punitive monetary fines and surcharges that come following a DWI/DUI conviction.
For those who have already been stopped and issued a summons for driving while impaired by beer, wine, hard liquor or prescription medication, you know that the police and our court system are not very sympathetic to drivers who appear to be intoxicated behind the wheel. Being charged with DWI, or drug DUI, especially when found to be under the influence of controlled dangerous substances (CDS), is not something one should consider fighting alone. At the very least, it is advisable to consult with a qualified legal professional about the details of your case before stepping into a courtroom.
Being charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs or even marijuana or cocaine, is serious enough to merit careful steps going forward. While no DWI arrest is quite the same as the next, the results can be very similar; from fines and court fees totaling hundreds of dollars, to thousands of dollars in auto insurance policy surcharges over the course of several years, pleading guilty or being found guilty of drunken driving is just the beginning of a long road.
The different kinds of DWI arrest scenarios are as varied as drivers on the road. For example, the following are just a small sampling of the types of police incidents that result in drunk driving charges. From Ocean County over to Passaic, New Jersey drivers are constantly being stopped for traffic violations and subsequently being taken into custody for DWI. Here are just a few:
Delaware Twp. Police Charge a Hunterdon County Woman with Drunken Driving
According to news reports, a 50-year-old local woman was apparently seen trying to drive her vehicle through a neighbor’s backyard. When police arrived on the scene, they found the woman confused and unaware of her location — though she who was reportedly on a trip to purchase some cigarettes nearby. Based on police reports, a neighbor contacted the local police department to report that a woman was “in distress,” having come to his front door with no shoes and having a “disheveled” appearance.
When officers arrived on the scene, following the late-night telephone call to police, they came upon the woman back in her vehicle and attempting to maneuver out of that neighbor’s backyard. Officers took the woman into custody and had her car towed and impounded. According to news articles, the suspect was later released to the care of a relative.
Bergen County Injury Accident Nets Motorists a Drunken Driving Arrest
Based on news accounts, an 18-year-old woman from the Cliffside Park area was charged by police with aggravated vehicular assault as well as driving under the influence following an early-morning car accident that put an out-of-state man in the hospital. The incident, which occurred in Fairview, NJ, when the pedestrian was attempting to cross Anderson Ave. just after 2am on a Sunday morning. According to police reports, the man was hit by the suspect’s sport utility vehicle, causing cuts to the victim’s face and head. In the course of the accident, the pedestrian was caught under the SUV and had to be extricated before being transported to Hackensack University Medical Center for treatment of various injuries.
Police said that the accused drunk driver was heading south along Anderson in her Ford SUV when she reportedly hit the walker and then went up over the curb, subsequently pinning the victim under her vehicle. Emergency responders arriving on the scene were able to free the victim.
Ocean County Traffic Accident Results in DWI for Lanoka Harbor Resident
Based on news reports, the officers from the Toms River PD arrested a 26-year-old driver following a car crash in which the woman’s vehicle hit the back-end of another car in the vicinity of Rte 37 and Douglas. The accident, which occurred around 12am on a Sunday, was witnessed by other drivers in the area. According to police, the suspect was allegedly operating her vehicle in an erratic manner just prior to the collision. Police stated that the driver tried to explain that another individual was driving the vehicle at the time of the wreck, however officers apparently did not believe her story and charged the woman with reckless driving and following another vehicle too closely, as well as driving while intoxicated.
Toms River Police Arrest Lanoka Harbor Woman for DWI After Crash, TomsRiverNJOnline.com, August 13th, 2012
West New York man hit, pinned under SUV; DWI charges for driver, NJ.com, August 09, 2012
50-year-old woman driving in neighbor’s back yard charged with DWI in Delaware Township, NJ.com, July 23, 2012