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From the pictures, it’s hard to believe that the two men in Vasili Pieratos’s Mercedes Benz walked away from a devastating crash in Park Ridge, but luckily, they did.

Pieratos, 43, a police sergeant in Ramsey, lost control of the car as he came around a curve on Kinderkamack Road in the early morning hours of June 14.

The car left the road, went through a yard, struck a tree, and rolled over before finally coming to rest in a second yard.

Pieratos and his passenger, also a police officer, were able to get themselves out of the vehicle without help from police and fire crews who arrived on the scene after homeowners in the area called it in.

The driver’s blood alcohol level was recorded at 0.19%, more than twice the legal limit for DWI.

Officer Todd Stowe, who responded to the accident, wrote in his report that, “The driver’s impairment by alcohol caused him to fail to negotiate the curve and the resultant crash.”

Pieratos was charged with DWI, reckless driving, and given a summons for an unsafe lane change.

Asked for comment by local media, Ramsey Police Chief Bryan Gurney would only provide an email saying that his officer’s DWI is a personnel matter and the department will handle the situation according to state guidelines.

It’s entirely possible that Pieratos will be able to keep his job, though his record will undoubtedly be scrutinized and play a role in final determinations.

People entrusted with public safety have a heavier burden when they become a danger to the public, and Pieratos and his passenger both have a lot of explaining to do.

If you’ve been arrested for DWI in New Jersey, get experienced help right away.

Matthew Reisig has helped more than 1,040 drivers avoid conviction on DWI charges.

Call 732-625-9660 today for your free consultation.

Well that didn’t take long.

After the new Goethals Bridge opened in early June, replacing the old bridge in connecting New Jersey to Staten Island, it took just days for police in the vicinity to arrest a man for driving drunk – and in the wrong direction – from the bridge.

The arrest happened on the New York side of the bridge, where a 26-year-old Hazlet, New Jersey, man was driving eastbound in the westbound lane on Goethals Road around 4:00 on Sunday morning.

The car was weaving as well, and when police pulled the vehicle over, the driver was unable to perform field sobriety tests after he nearly fell down.

After refusing a breathalyzer test, he was arrested and taken to headquarters for processing.

Just because he was arrested in another state doesn’t mean the driver will suffer no hardships when he comes home.

Because of reciprocity agreements made with most other states, punishments you receive while traveling follow you back to New Jersey, and after conviction elsewhere, you’re likely to receive a letter informing you that your New Jersey driver’s license is suspended.

There are ways to fight this, and it’s always worthwhile to sit down with an experienced New Jersey DWI lawyer to talk about your options when facing sanction at home for decisions made across a state border.

If you’re facing DWI penalties from out of state, call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9660 for a free consultation with an experienced DWI defense lawyer.

Over the border in Pennsylvania, a District Judge has found herself in some hot water after a DUI stop in April.

At the time, her blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit, and in late May she waived a hearing on her case.

She remains on the bench, though all DUI cases on her docket have been reassigned to District Judge Thomas H. Xavios, who is notably also hearing her case.

In a bit of an irony, Scott’s lawyer told the court that the judge is applying to participate in Pennsylvania’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, or ARD.

This is a probationary program that lets first-time offenders complete a series of requirements, including community service, payment of court costs, and other elements that the District Attorney decides are necessary.

Once completed, a first-time DUI offender walks away with a clean record and no admission of guilt.

Scott is the 29-year-old daughter of Reading’s Mayor, Wally Scott, and succeeded her dad on the bench when he retired to run for mayor.

Her lawyer insists that the case features no special treatment for his client, and that the same rules that would apply to any defendant are being applied here.

Still, for defendants who can’t afford a lawyer or meet the terms of a diversionary program, it has to look like the privileged are, as always, prevailing.

New Jersey doesn’t have a first-offender diversion program for DWI, but it does have ample opportunities to defend yourself against charges of drunk driving.

If you’ve been stopped for DWI in New Jersey, call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9660 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense attorney.