New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog
We’ve said it here many times in the past, but as usual it bears repeating: Never make your situation worse by running from the police or trying to evade a patrol car. The time is long past, if indeed there ever was a “time,” when a driver could pull some Hollywood-esque or “Dukes of Hazard” end-run on a local cop and end up avoiding a drunken driving arrest. First and foremost, as they say, nobody can outrun a radio. Secondly, every police officer has a radio, not to mention fellow officers plying nearby streets and highways, ready and willing to catch an evading motorist.
Besides the fact that there are strict evasion statutes on the books, being intoxicated and running from the police is basically foolhardy. As New Jersey DWI defense lawyers and motorists ourselves, the last thing we would want is to have a drunken driving suspect speeding around on city streets trying to beat the law in a road race. This kind of action on the part of a DWI suspect can only work against him in the courtroom later on. We also do not espouse lying to the police when they obviously have the upper hand.
Being inebriated leaves most people in a decidedly disadvantageous position; not only can their driving skills be severely compromised, but once stopped by a patrolman for a traffic infraction it can be a tough sell if one intentionally tries to mislead an officer. This goes beyond simple dodging of questions. Some motorists have been known to play games with a patrolman verbally, or even physically attempt to resist arrest or obstruct justice. Quite simply, it’s just not worth it.
A better route would be to contact a qualified DWI or drug DUI attorney following and concentrate one’s energy on fighting the charges and avoiding a conviction or reducing the penalties associated with the charges. Looking at things in a practical manner when one is cool, calm and collected is always better than reacting in the moment. This is what a good trial lawyer can help you do as a defendant. Getting all worked up over an arrest that has already happened is just wasted effort.
In one recent news article, we noticed that a motorist apparently decided to fight the situation right there during the arrest. According to reports, a 48-year-old local woman was stopped in Manchester after a patrolman observed the car she was operating fail to stay in its lane along a stretch of Rte 70 near Green Acres Rd. Based on information provided by authorities , the during the traffic stop the driver gave a fake name to the officer in charge. But this wasn’t the only problem the woman faced.
Based on news articles, as the roadside stop progressed, the patrolman likely observed that the driver was impaired to some extent. He also discovered a number of hypodermic syringes inside the vehicle, including one that the woman attempted to hid from his view, at which time it appears that the officer placed the driver under arrest.
According to news reports, the giving of a fake name that the driver allegedly provided to the officer was motivated by the fact that she was apparently driving while under a suspended license. During the process session back at Manchester police headquarters, the woman reportedly became uncooperative, refusing to provide her fingerprints. In the end, however, she was processed and charged with a number of offenses including DWI, concealing Evidence, possessing hypodermic syringes, hindering apprehension, as well as failure to provide fingerprints. She was subsequently handed over to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department.
DWI In Manchester Leads To False Information And Syringes, Patch.com, March 18, 2013