According to law enforcement officers with the Toms River Police Department, a 19-year-old Toms River man was charged with two DUIs after he was involved in two separate accidents. In the second accident, the man allegedly fled the crash scene.
The first crash reportedly occurred on Aug. 11 around 9:50 p.m. on Route 9, resulting in the road’s partial closure. In that incident, the man allegedly crashed into a utility pole. He was charged with DUI. According to police, the man was under the influence of drugs at the time.
At 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 12, witnesses called the police after seeing a westbound pickup truck strike the rear end of a sedan at an intersection near the previous crash site. Reportedly, the driver of the pickup truck then continued on, fleeing the scene. An officer allegedly recognized the description as fitting the teen. Police charged him with DUI and hit-and-run for the second accident. They also charged his mother for allowing him to drive while impaired. Both defendants were released pending court appearance at a later date.
DUI charges may result in significant penalties in the event of conviction. When there is more than one pending DUI and accidents are involved, the likelihood of receiving a jail term as part of the overall sentence is high. People who are convicted may expect their license to be suspended. Other possible penalties can include probation, mandatory alcohol education, therapy and fines. People who have been charged might want to seek the help of a criminal defense attorney who accepts DUI cases. An attorney may be able to review the facts to determine the best defense to raise.
Source: Toms River Patch, “Two crashes, two DUI charges in 10 hours for Toms River man,” Karen Wall, Aug. 13, 2015
