According to court records, charges against the Lambertville Mayor accusing him of driving under the influence were dismissed on Dec. 11 in Mansfield Municipal Court. In exchange for the dismissal, the mayor reportedly pleaded guilty to charges of reckless driving and failing to maintain a lane for the Nov. 9 incident.
The original incident occurred on Route 130 around 1 a.m. when he was stopped by Mansfield Police. Officers reported that the mayor failed roadside sobriety tests. He had reportedly been swerving on the roadway. Despite his apparent failure and his swerving, two breath tests performed after his arrest showed no trace of alcohol in his blood.
The mayor was reportedly polite and cooperative during his arrest. He apparently told officers he had been drinking earlier in the day but that his drinks had been spread apart by a number of hours. Upon entering his plea to the traffic infractions, the court assessed traffic fines totaling $206 as well as $32 in court costs. The mayor reportedly paid the fines in full prior to leaving the municipal court building.
The Lambertville Mayor's case demonstrates that just because someone is arrested and charged with DUI does not necessarily mean he or she is guilty of the offense. The facts of his case also show that failing roadside sobriety tests does not always mean the person who does so is drunk. Many things can cause a person to fail a roadside sobriety test in addition to and separately from intoxication. Like the mayor, further analysis may demonstrate that the person has no alcohol in his or her system. People who are accused of drunk driving may benefit by retaining a criminal defense attorney for help in fighting the charges. By doing so, he or she may be able to plead to a lesser offense or fight the charges through trial.
Source: NJ.com, "Lambertville Mayor David DelVecchio has DWI charge dismissed, admists reckless driving", Keith Brown, December 11, 2014
Tags: fines