What apparently started out as a New Jersey officer pulling a driver over in Fairfield due to a speeding violation resulted in charges for marijuana possession and driving under the influence. The 24-year-old male driver was detained by the authorities on Sept. 11 when traveling on Route 36 East at about 12:40 a.m., and the officer who observed the Woodland Park man’s driving reported that he was traveling at 76 mph in a 50 mph zone.
When asking the driver to step out of the vehicle for field sobriety testing, the officer allegedly found less than 50 grams of marijuana in the form of marijuana cigarettes near the driver’s door, a pipe and an open 40-ounce Coors Light beer can on the back seat in a paper bag. The officer also said that the man had bloodshot, watery eyes and that his breath carried an alcoholic odor.
The suspected drunk driver was brought in for chemical breath testing, and his vehicle was impounded. In addition to the other charges, the man is also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, speeding, careless driving, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, being a suspended driver and DUI in a school zone. He has an initial appearance in Fairfield Municipal Court scheduled but has been released on his own recognizance until then.
One may face a variety of charges when suspected of driving under the influence, and a conviction could result in fines, a suspended license or jail time. In some instances, an attorney might be able to get some charges dropped when making a plea bargain. In other cases, one might defend against all charges. When forming a defense, an attorney could look at an officer’s actions and police reports to see if any misconduct or errors occurred.
