New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog
Drunk driving arrests are hardly uncommon here in the Garden State, with our large population and plenty of vehicles on the road. But while intoxicated driving maybe a year-round occurrence throughout the state, the incidences of impaired motor vehicle operation can become especially frequent when the weather starts to warm up and the summer tourist season begins anew. With numerous family get-togethers, company picnics, and out-of-towners streaming into beach and resort areas, police all around the state are on alert for potentially inebriated motorists.
Whether one lives, works or travels through Monmouth County, or Ocean, Atlantic or Cape May, a wide variety of alcohol- and prescription drug-related arrests can be seen nearly any day of the week in the various police blotter pages published by local news outlets. As New Jersey DWI defense lawyers, my legal team has seen its share of courtroom scenarios involving all manner of drunk driving, breath-test refusal and drug DUI cases.
Regardless of the circumstances, from alcohol-related car and truck accidents to drug-impaired motorists taken into custody and charged with DUI, our court system is witness to a constant stream of DWI-DUI cases, many of which are thrown out due to lack of proper evidence or incorrect police procedures. For these last two reasons alone it is never a bad idea to consult with an experienced trial lawyer skilled in DWI-DUI litigation. Certainly, understanding one’s legal rights and weighing the possible options is usually to a person’s advantage.
In addition to DWI and drug DUI arrests, we often read of individuals being taken into custody on suspicion of illegal substance possession in a motor vehicle. Our firm is no stranger to defending drivers charged with DUIs allegedly resulting from the taking of controlled dangerous substances (CDS) such as marijuana or cocaine. Whether police have charged a person with drug DUI or simple possession of weed or coke in a motor vehicle, anyone accused of these types of offenses should avail themselves of legal counsel if only because of the very seriously implications and potential penalties for a possible conviction.
Whether a motorist is facing a DWI, breath test refusal, drug DUI or CDS possession charge, there are always options. Below is a short summary of some recent arrests that have taken place in the Morris and Warren County area of New Jersey. These are representative of similar circumstances that can surround many DWI-DUI traffic cases, for which a legal defense is usually of great benefit.
Erratic Driving Leads to a Driver’s Arrest for DWI in Butler
Based on police reports, officers responded to a citizen’s call regarding a possibly drunk driving going northbound on Rte 23 around 9:30pm. Patrolmen arriving in the vicinity observed a Toyota pickup truck allegedly being operated in an erratic fashion. According to news reports, the officers saw the vehicle swerving out of its travel lane a number of times before making a traffic stop.
Upon approaching the driver’s side of the vehicle, one officer stated that he detected the odor of alcohol on the 30-year-old driver’s breath. The suspect, a man from the Vernon, NJ, area, was asked to perform several of the standardized field sobriety tests, all of which he allegedly failed. Police arrested the man and charged him with DWI, reckless driving, failing to maintain his lane, and several other offenses. After being processed, the driver was released to a responsible adult pending a court hearing.
Chester Police Make Several Marijuana-related Arrests
A 33-year-old Clark, NJ, man was stopped for failure to make repairs on his vehicle, including a brake light violation. The traffic stop, which happened along a stretch of Rte 206 at a little past noon, resulted in police discovering marijuana on the driver’s person. According to reports, during their interview of the driver on the roadside, officers detected the scent of raw marijuana emanating from within the suspect’s vehicle. Upon further investigation, police apparently found a quantity of weed. They arrested the driver and charged him with possession (less than 50gm) of marijuana, as well as possession of drug paraphernalia.
In a separate incident, a 19-year-old Somerset man was pulled over for some type of exterior lighting problem with his vehicle. The stop took place just after noon on a Sunday afternoon in the Chester, NJ, area. Again, police said that they detected the smell of raw marijuana from inside the vehicle. The driver was arrested and charged with marijuana possession (under 50gm), plus possession of paraphernalia.
Traffic Stop in Mount Olive Nets Driver CDS Charge
On a Sunday morning a local patrolman observed a late model Jeep weaving outside of its lane of travel several times along a stretch of Rte 46 in the Budd Lake area. Upon pulling the vehicle over, the officer in charge was given consent by the 34-year-old male driver to effect a search of his vehicle. During the search the officer reportedly found a hypodermic needle, after which he placed the man under arrest. Later processed at police headquarters, the driver was charged with CDS possession, as well as that of a hypodermic needle, plus failing to maintain his lane of travel. He was subsequently released by police pending a hearing date.
Police blotter: Mother charged with DWI in Mount Olive, liquor theft in Hackettstown; DailyRecord.com; April 4, 2013