PARK RIDGE, N.J.—Driver wipes out on lawn, has court date over DWI
Three officers responded to the area of Hawthorne Avenue and Noyes Drive just before dawn on May 1 on a report of a vehicle parked halfway in the street and halfway on the lawn.
They also were also informed that there was a passenger in the vehicle, which had its lights on and engine running.
On officers’ arrival they observed a blue Ford F-150 bearing Connecticut registration facing east on a north and south roadway. The vehicle was resting in the bushes, halfway on the road and halfway on the lawn of a Hawthorne Avenue residence.
The passenger side mirror was noted to have struck a utility pole.
There was a man at the wheel, reclined in the driver’s seat, sleeping while the truck was running and in drive. An officer ordered the truck put into park and shut off. The driver didn’t stir for several moments despite heavy knocks to wake him.
When the driver came to, he was ordered out of the vehicle. Officers detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his person.
The defendant said he’d had approximately three beers. He failed sobriety tests, then was arrested for driving while intoxicated. The duty tow truck was called, and the defendant’s vehicle was impounded.
At headquarters, the defendant provided breath test samples. He was issued the following summonses, answerable to the Pascack Joint Municipal Court on June 12: driving under the influence, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, touring privilege, failure to produce license, careless driving, creating a risk of motor vehicle accident.
The defendant arranged for a ride home, then was released at 7:30 a.m.