SOUTH BRUNSWICK – South Brunswick police continue to enhance traffic safety efforts through ongoing enforcement.
“The increase in serious crashes over the summer has led us to enhance our efforts. Our enforcement has resulted in an increased number of arrests for impaired drivers both for drugs and alcohol. Our department has made 64 arrests for impaired driving as of today. For all of last year there were 58 arrests. We will continue to raise awareness and increase enforcement to improve driver safety,” Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said in a prepared statement.
Since the enforcement efforts were increased, several drivers have been charged with DWI.
Officer Salvatore Fama charged a 24-year-old man from Leominster, Massachusetts, after a four-vehicle crash on Route 1 south near Promenade Boulevard at 1:10 p.m. on Sept. 16. The man was driving a Ford van southbound on Route 1 when he ran into a car waiting at a red light at the intersection, according to police. The crash caused two other vehicles to be struck in a chain reaction. The three vehicles which were stopped sustained extensive damage. Two drivers suffered injuries. Fama observed the man leaning on the divider, allegedly appearing disheveled and making incoherent statements. He was processed at police headquarters and given numerous motor vehicle violations.
Officer Raymond McCarthy charged a 21-year-old man from Monmouth Junction with drunk driving and resisting arrest after a car crash at 9:58 p.m. on Sept. 16. Police were called to the intersection of Deans Lane and Georges Road for a motor vehicle crash. When officers arrived they spoke to the occupants of a Jeep Wrangler who indicated that the man was reportedly tailgating them in his Nissan Sentra on Deans Lane. When they slowed to make a left turn, the man hit them from behind. McCarthy allegedly detected an odor of alcohol and arrested the driver for DWI. After transport to headquarters, the man was charged with resisting arrest for his actions during processing. He was charged with numerous motor vehicle violations.
Officer Craig Cleffi charged a 63-year-old man from Watchung with drunk driving at 6:11 p.m. on Sept. 20. Officers were notified of a Honda Accord driving erratically on the southbound side of Route 1. Cleffi observed the Accord stopped in the turn off lane for New Road. Several cars were going around the stopped Honda as the driver appeared to be asleep, according to police. The Honda driver then allegedly woke up and pulled his vehicle back onto the highway were Cleffi stopped him. The man was arrested for DWI. He was also wanted by the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department for failing to appear in Superior Court on a case. After being given several motor vehicle summonses he was turned over to the Sheriff’s Office.
Officer Bryan Garrison charged a 59-year-old man from Monmouth Junction with drunk driving. Officers were called to a business park on New Road around 9:26 p.m. on Sept. 22 for a dispute. The man said the front end loader was put in reverse and went too far, falling into a ditch. He allegedly got a large excavator and drove it over to the ditch, hooked the excavator to the front end loader with a chain and was trying to pull it out. During the investigation, the man allegedly failed field sobriety tests. He was transported to police headquarters where he was charged with several motor vehicle summonses including DWI and refusal to submit to a Breathalyzer.
