Somerset County DWI Defense

December 12, 2010

Intoxicated Drivers Warned about New Jersey’s Plans for Holiday DWI Crackdown

In-state and out-of-state drunken drivers take note, the State of New Jersey will have an increased police presence on public roads throughout the Garden State as the holidays approach. According to news articles, local and state law enforcement departments in Bergen, Passaic and Ocean County, as well as the rest of the state, will be on the lookout for drivers operating their vehicles while intoxicated.

As New Jersey drunk driving defense attorneys, I and my legal staff represent individuals accused of DWI, prescription drug DUI and breath test refusal on a daily basis. We even council drivers charged with cocaine, and other controlled dangerous substance (CDS) possession. This latest enforcement program, aptly named “Over the Limit, Under Arrest,” will bring additional officers to bear on the motoring public during the upcoming holidays.

Aiming to reduce the amount of drunk drivers on the road, the campaign calls for saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints (also known as DWI roadblocks) from December 13 through January 2, 2011, according to officials at New Jersey’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety. The program reportedly will provide federal grant money of up to $5,000 to each of 115 police departments.

November 12, 2010

Legal Defense Update: Somerset County, NJ, Motorist Pulled Over then Fined for Obscured License Plate

by Jonathan F. Marshall

No matter how carefully an individual drives after having a drink or two, there is no guarantee that he or she won’t be stopped by a police officer and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol. It takes just a moment and you could be pulled over for the simplest of motor vehicle violations. Once that happens, the officer could notice the smell of alcohol on your breath or some other telltale sign of intoxication.

As a New Jersey DWI defense attorney and former municipal prosecutor, I know the process through which a accused drunk driver must pass to possible conviction for drunken driving. Not only impairment by alcohol, but also prescription drug and marijuana use can land a motorist in police headquarters after an alleged DWI or DUI incident.

As Somerset drunken driving defense lawyers, my staff of highly capable attorneys has the skills and legal training to represent individuals facing possible drunk driving penalties here in the Garden State. That chain of events can begin with the most inconsequential item, like a burned-out headlight or cracked windshield. This is because police all around New Jersey are constantly observing drivers and their vehicles for violations.

Not long ago a Basking Ridge, NJ, driver was ticketed because his vehicle’s license plate was partially obscured, According to reports, although the man was not driving under the influence of alcohol, the incident illustrated how a driver could be stopped for this seemingly minor violation. The entire event occurred at a police checkpoint in Middlesex County, when police issued the man a ticket for a license plate frame that was apparently blocking part of the words on his New Jersey license plate.

According to news reports, the man was in his Toyota 4-Runner passing through a checkpoint on Main Street in Metuchen, NJ. A police officer observed that his inspection sticker was not properly affixed to the car’s windshield. But instead of issuing a ticket for the inspection sticker, patrolmen issued the man a ticket for his license plate frame, which officers alleged was covering some of the words on his New Jersey license plate.
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August 27, 2010

New Jersey DWI Alert: Drunk Driving Enforcement Increases around NJ for Labor Day Holiday

by Jonathan F. Marshall

With the coming holiday weekend police agencies around the Garden State will be on a heightened alert for partiers and other people driving while intoxicated between picnics and family gatherings. Regardless of the bad economy, drunken driving arrests and summonses are certain to increase in the next couple weeks.

As a New Jersey DWI defense attorney and drunk driver lawyer, my job is to help motorists who have been arrested by state police, municipal patrolmen and other law enforcement personnel for DWI and drug DUI traffic offenses. Many of these arrests occur at so-called sobriety checkpoints, which are frequently set up throughout the New Jersey area.

As part of the upcoming drunk driving enforcement campaign, known as “Over the Limit, Under Arrest,” police units have taken to the streets in an effort to cut the instances of driving while under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs.

July 31, 2010

New Jersey DWI News: Drunk Driving Blamed in Fatal Somerset County Motorcycle Accident

by Jonathan F. Marshall

As a New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyer, I’ll be the first to tell someone that mixing alcohol and motorcycle riding is a recipe for disaster. But sadly, drinking and driving even for seasoned bikers is not uncommon. When someone makes a mistake and takes to the road after having a drink or two, the result can be a DWI arrest at the hands of one of New Jersey’s local, state or municipal law enforcement officers.

A news article not long ago told the story of a dual motorcycle crash that allegedly involved drunken driving. According to reports, three out-of-state riders met in a violent way on Route 78 near Bedminster, NJ, in late June. Police reports indicate that two motorcycles crashed in the early hours on a Sunday morning in northern New Jersey.

The crash, which the New Jersey State Police logged as a DWI-related claimed the life of a woman and left her companion critically injured. The other lone rider was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

May 12, 2010

NJ DWI News: Will New Law Increase Police Focus on Young Drivers, Drunk or Otherwise?

by Jonathan F. Marshall

A recently passed law requires drivers under the age of 21 to place a red sticker on their vehicle’s license plates. While the intent of the law appears to be a good-hearted attempt at traffic safety, as a New Jersey DWI defense attorney I tend to side with those claiming the $4 sticker will only invite unwarranted scrutiny and potential discrimination against a segment of the driving public.

When it comes to drunk driving enforcement, New Jersey State Police and municipal police officers are always on the lookout for motorists who may be operating their vehicles while impaired due to alcohol, prescription drugs or controlled dangerous substances (CDS). Young drivers who exhibit traffic behavior suggesting inebriation could quite possibly by singled out due to that red mark on their license plate.

According to an editorial, the new law that took effect on May 1 will must likely lead to discrimination against young drivers which probably wouldn’t happen without a red dot. According to the author, New Jersey is one of the top ten safest states for teenage drivers. Referring to the 2001 law that established a curfew for teenagers and significantly decreased the teen driver accident rates, the editorial asks if there is any good reason to put another law into effect.

April 18, 2010

New Jersey DWI Defense Update: What Every Driver Should Know About Drunk Driving Arrests — Part One

by Jonathan F. Marshall

Being drunk on the road is always a risky scenario. But as a New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyer and former municipal prosecuting attorney, I know that many Motorists get caught up in DWI arrests unexpectedly. Understanding that being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol is just the start of a long process is fine, but knowing that being convicted of driving while intoxicated is something you should avoid if at all possible.

The following may help some motorists in the Garden State avoid the pitfalls and legal troubles of being arrested, charged and convicted of drunken driving. Of course, the entire process starts with being pulled over for impaired driving in the first place. Whether you are eventually charged with DWI, drug DUI, breath test refusal, or other drunk driving violation, a traffic stop comes first.

Some people wonder is under what circumstances a patrolman can pull them over for driving drunk. While the officer in charge may not initially be aware of your alcohol consumption or prescription drug use, he can stop you for any number of reasons associate with violations of traffic law.

December 26, 2009

New Jersey Drinking and Driving Defense Update: Underage DWI and its Consequences

by Jonathan F. Marshall

In New Jersey the law covering underage drinking and driving leaves little to the imagination. An individual must be 21 years of age or older to buy, be in possession or consume any type of alcohol-containing drink or beverage. In short: underage drinking is unequivocally defined as illegal. Because the state has such a strong stance against underage drinking, the legal consequences for this activity are severe under New Jersey law, especially when it comes to operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

Whether or not a youth is stopped for DWI, simply being convicted of drinking as a minor could affect that child’s future driving privileges. As a New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyer, I know the negative impact that DWI and underage DWI can have on an individual now and in the future. For kids, this is not an area of the law they would want to experience. As a parent, it would behoove you to talk to your child about the consequences of underage drinking and underage DWI.

In this state, if a person under 21 years old is arrested for purchasing or consuming an alcoholic drink in an establishment licensed to sell alcohol, he or she could be fined $500, as well as lose their driver’s license for up to six months. Parents take note here, because even if your child does not yet have a driver’s license that potential suspension will start when the youngster is first eligible to receive his or her license. Furthermore, a young person who violates underage drinking laws may also be required by the court to attend an alcohol treatment or education program.

December 8, 2009

NJ DWI News: Drunk Driving Patrols Increased Across New Jersey through New Years

by Jonathan F. Marshall

The coming holiday season is well known for its parties and family gatherings, and despite the poor economy drunk driving arrests are sure to surge during the next few weeks. In response, New Jersey DWI enforcement units are taking to the streets in an effort to reduce the instance of driving while intoxicated. As leading drunk driving defense lawyers, my firm has experience in a wide range of DWI and drug DUI defense. Recent news of the “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign is evidence that drunk driving patrols will be working overtime in the Garden State.

According to news reports, law enforcement agencies across the state are already conducting saturation patrols and operating sobriety checkpoints, also known as sobriety roadblocks, as part of the nationwide drunk driving campaign. Enforcement will continue, say police, through January 3, 2010.

New Jersey’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety is funding the local initiative, which began in 1999. According to reports, the division provides $5,000 grants to law enforcement agencies to cover overtime for those officers assigned to DWI patrols or checkpoints.

November 20, 2009

Hillsborough Township, NJ, Police Report Three Drunk Driving Arrests

by Jonathan F. Marshall

Police in the township of Hillsborough reported a trio of DWI arrests in mid-October, two of which were drivers from Somerset County; a second was from Mercer County. With six offices throughout the state, my team of New Jersey drunk driving defense lawyers provides representation for many residents across the Garden State. These latest arrests in Hillsborough are typical of the cases we see throughout the year.

According to the township police department, a 60-year-old local man was arrested for driving while intoxicated on October 9 in the parking lot of the Amwell Racquetball Club. News articles show that James Davison was found allegedly drunk in his vehicle by police officers following a report of a car hitting a parked vehicle at the club.

When officers arrived, they found Davison’s car in one corner of the parking lot, with evidence of the collision with another vehicle, as well as two damaged signs near the entrance of the club. The suspect reportedly told the officers that he had drank a fifth of scotch before driving. Davison was charged with DWI, careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident.

September 22, 2009

New Jersey Drug DUI-DWI Update: Police Blotter for Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset Counties

by Jonathan F. Marshall

The drunk driving defense lawyers from The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall defend New Jersey Motorists against DWI, breath test refusal and drug DUI charges. The following police reports for communities in Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties reflect the types of cases my firm typically handles on a regular basis. A conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol can severely impact a person’s current job and future career prospects, not to mention his or her standing in the community, as well as personal and business relationships.

West Windsor

According to reports, a resident of Cranbury, NJ, attempted to evade police on foot following a traffic stop for speeding on Old Trenton Road. The 41-year-old was chased down and eventually apprehended with the help of East Windsor police. Charged with speeding, reckless driving, driving an uninsured motor vehicle, operating a vehicle on a suspended license and attempting to elude police, the suspect also allegedly was in possession of a hypodermic syringe and reportedly had an open container of alcohol in his car vehicle.

A Langhorn resident was stopped on suspicion of drunk driving at South Lane and Village Road East. Following the traffic stop, police found the driver to be 19 years of age and charged him with underage DWI

A 29-year-old from Dayton was charged with drunken driving following a traffic stop on northbound Route 1 at Quakerbridge Road. The man was stopped for speeding and observed to be intoxicated, according to police. He was also issued summonses for speeding and reckless driving.

During a routine traffic stop on Quakerbridge Road near Nassau Park Blvd, a 25-year-old Pennsauken resident was charged with possession drug paraphernalia, including a hypodermic needle and after a traffic stop.

Plainsboro

A Princeton man was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after police responded to a single-vehicle crash in the early morning hours on Sayre Drive. Police arrived on scene around 2:30am and found a 56-year-old man asleep behind the wheel of his white 2001 Lexus, which was parked on a landscaped island after apparently striking a tree. According to reports, the man was determined to be highly intoxicated and was therefore charged with DWI, failure to submit to a chemical breath test, reckless driving, careless driving, improper parking and failure to wear a seat belt.

A 38-year-old man from Lambertville, New Jersey, was charged with DWI after a late-night traffic stop on southbound Route 1. The motorist was pulled over at about 10:30pm after he didn’t dim his high beams while passing a police officer, according to police. During the traffic stop, he was found to be intoxicated and was issued summonses for DWI, reckless driving, and failure to dim high beams.