Police pulled over a woman allegedly driving 5 mph in Plainsboro on Aug. 16. The authorities received a call about an erratic driver, and the woman may have been under the influence of alcohol.
The 39-year-old woman from Trenton was traveling on Birch Drive when authorities stopped her at about 11:40 a.m. She reportedly drove a Toyota 4-Runner over multiple curbs in a residential neighborhood. The responding officer said that she was obstructing traffic and traveling at an extremely slow rate of speed.
The authorities detained the woman on suspicion of driving under the influence, and she was issued summonses for DWI, delaying traffic, consumption of an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, possession of an open or unsealed alcoholic drink in a vehicle, driving without a license, reckless driving, obstructing the passage of other vehicles, operating an uninsured car and having a nonresident vehicle registration with expired touring privileges. The Trenton woman has a pending court appearance and was released on her own recognizance.
In New Jersey, a drunk driving conviction can mean fines, jail time, a license suspension and the required installation of an ignition interlock device at a driver's expense. Drivers also face a license suspension when refusing to take a chemical test after being pulled over. Consequences are harsher for repeated offenses and when someone is injured in an alcohol-related car accident, but even a misdemeanor DWI may result in large monetary costs and a ruined personal record.
Those facing DWI charges may wish to discuss options for defense, probation or a plea bargain with an attorney. One of the most accurate ways to determine impairment is through a blood test, but mistakes can still be made with this method. Field or breath tests are less reliable.
Source: NJ.com, "Woman driving 5 mph charged with DWI in Plainsboro, cops say", Anthony G. Attrino, August 28, 2014
Tags: DWI charges, fines, license suspension, misdemeanor DWI