The role of mayor in Sparta Township is mostly ceremonial, so much so that the people of Sparta don’t even elect their mayor. The town council, a five-member body, elects one of its own each year to fill the role, signing documents for the council and representing Sparta at public events. Each January, they rotate the job to another member.

It’s all pretty ordinary and mundane, at least until this year. Shortly after the council elected Councilman Jerard J. Murphy mayor on January 7, Murphy announced that he had a court date later this month stemming from a lawsuit he’s filed against Sparta.

Murphy was allegedly pulled over in February 2016 and charged with drunk driving. In January 2018, he pleaded guilty to a reduced dirty license plate violation and paid a $100 fine. In the meantime, Murphy, a councilman since 2013, learned that he was intentionally targeted by police.

He sued, alleging that the department was retaliating for actions he took as a councilman. The case would later be thrown out by a judge, but Murphy’s lawyers are fighting to bring it back to life. The vote to elect Murphy mayor was 3-2. When news of the ongoing litigation against Sparta broke, the councilors who voted with him were quick to share that they were unaware of it at the time.

DWI charges can have unexpected impacts on your life. If you’ve been charged with DWI in New Jersey, call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9660 for a free consultation with an experienced DWI defense attorney.

A Jersey City man had a bad trip through Connecticut when Westport police found him asleep behind the wheel at a green light on January 31. The incident took place around 3:30 a.m., when a police car came upon a stopped vehicle on the westbound lane of Post Road East. The driver, who the department identified as Joseph Mayes, was asleep with his foot on the brake.

It took several tries, but police were able to wake Mayes up. He appeared confused by instructions to park the vehicle, and instead continued on Post Road East. Police were eventually able to get him to pull over into a parking lot, where he failed a series of field sobriety tests. He’s been charged with DUI and disobeying the signal of an officer. He was released after posting a $500 bond.

The problem with out-of-state DUI charges is that if you’re convicted, the consequences can follow you home. Protect yourself and your driving privileges. Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9660 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyer.

Sports fans are an emotional bunch, especially when their favorite team loses. Apparently the Jets’ loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 10 (2018) was enough to send one New Jersey fan over the edge. About an hour after the 41-10 rout ended, West Milford resident Christopher Greyshock, 57, rear-ended another vehicle at Alps Road and Route 23.

When police arrived on the scene, they quickly determined that Greyshock was likely intoxicated. Later investigation found that he had an open container in his car, along with marijuana and rolling papers.

As he failed field sobriety tests, an officer asked him why he’d gotten behind the wheel in his condition. “The Jets suck,” was his memorable response. At police headquarters, his blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.13, well over the state’s .08% legal limit for driving. He’s been charged with DWI, possession, reckless driving, and having an open container in his vehicle, reportedly a fifth of bourbon.

Whatever your reason for driving drunk, a DWI charge is a big deal. Get the help you need to protect your rights and minimize your exposure to serious penalties by working with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyer. Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-378-9272 for a free consultation.

No Passing Zone Violation Leads To DUI Arrest In NJ

As is so often the case, it’s the minor stuff that ultimately leads intoxicated drivers to get into trouble. For Kyle Francis of Galloway Township, while allegedly driving drunk was the source of his issues, his decision to pass multiple cars in a no-passing zone seems to have led him to crash his Chevy Equinox into a Nissan Sentra around 5:15 p.m. on April 2 as he illegally proceeded down South York Road.

The Sentra was turning when Francis struck it, and the driver was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.

Francis has been charged with DWI, reckless driving, and improper passing, but prosecutors say more charges may be forthcoming as they continue their investigation.

In DWIs where a person is injured, police have far more incentive to leave no stone unturned in their search for additional information, and it’s possible that Kyle Francis’s ultimate legal matter will be far more serious than traffic violations.

Experienced DWI Attorney For Fighting Reckless Driving Charges

If you’ve been arrested for DWI in New Jersey, get experienced help right away. If you’ve been arrested for DWI after no passing zone violations, you need an expert drunk driving defense attorney to fight your multiple charges.

Matthew Reisig has helped more than 1,300 New Jersey drivers avoid conviction on DWI and related charges.

Call 732-378-9272 today for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyer.

DUI Attorney For Underage Drinking Charges In New Jersey

Underage drinking is illegal in New Jersey, so drivers who are under 21 face a slightly different landscape in DWI law, as one Forked River 17-year-old is learning.

Lacey police stopped the teenage male driver around 10:30 p.m. on March 18, near the intersection of Arlington Avenue and Alpine Street.

Officers Michael Moeller and Scott Keefe discovered the young man, apparently intoxicated, and with an open container in the vehicle with him.

He was taken to police headquarters and charged with DWI, possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, reckless driving, and other traffic infractions.

The problem for any teen in this situation is that for underaged drivers, a blood alcohol content of just 0.01% is enough to trigger charges.

Penalties for underage drivers facing drunk driving charges include 90 days without your driver’s license, mandatory attendance at an alcohol and driver safety program, community service, and fines of up to $500.

Your insurance company will also have a lot to say about this turn of events, and if they don’t cancel your policy, you can expect to pay a lot more for the pleasure for years to come.

Fighting Underage DUI Charges With Experienced NJ Attorney

DWI is tough for teen drivers, who are finally experiencing independence, but still prone to making poor decisions.

If your child has been arrested for DWI in New Jersey, talk to an experienced DWI defense lawyer to see what can be done to help.

Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-378-9272 for a free consultation.

If you’re someone who enjoys an adult beverage while flying your drone, you might need to reconsider for a minute.

On his last day in office, outgoing governor Chris Christie signed 109 bills into law, including one that makes it a crime to operate a drone with a blood content over 0.08.

This is the same standard applied to drivers and boaters, and the penalties for violating the new law is up to six months in jail, a $1,000 fine, or both.

Unlike DWI, which is prosecuted as a moving violation, drunk droning is a disorderly persons offense, comparable to a misdemeanor in other states.

The law also makes it a crime to fly drones near prisons or to use them for the taking of wildlife.

Operating a drone with a BAC over .08 is against the law.

If you find yourself on the wrong end of a Drunk Droning charge, get experienced legal help right away.

The law may be new, but ignorance is no defense.

Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-378-9272 for a free consultation.