Police report that a 32-year-old New Jersey resident is facing DWI charges after he was involved in a fatal two-car collision in Saddle Brook. The crash occurred after midnight on Feb. 20.
The collision happened on Interstate 80 when the alleged drunken motorist drove a pickup truck in the wrong direction down the interstate highway and smashed head-on into an eastbound vehicle. The force of the crash caused the other vehicle to flip over, instantly killing the driver, a 64-year-old man from New York.
When emergency responders arrived at the scene, they found the truck driver with non-life threatening injuries. Police charged the truck driver with driving while intoxicated. State law enforcement officials also stated that he might be facing other criminal charges.
Because the DWI laws in New Jersey are serious, those who are accused of drunk driving in the state face severe penalties including a license suspension, considerable fines and a lengthy jail sentence. In addition, if deaths or serious injuries are involved in the incident, the prosecution may push for the maximum penalties possible.
Individuals who find themselves in similar circumstances might want to get in touch with a criminal defense attorney to help plan a strategy. The attorney could challenge the validity of the blood alcohol or breath test results that may result in the charges being completely dismissed. In some cases, such as when it is the first offense for the defendant, the attorney might seek an agreement with the prosecution in which the defendant would agree to take alcohol counseling classes in lieu of more serious penalties.
Source: NBC New York, “Drunken Driver Causes Fatal Head-On Crash: NJ State Police”, Feb. 20, 2016
