DWI Information

A 54-year-old Point Pleasant man has been arrested on a host of charges after a bizarre attempt to elude police.

New York police were initially notified of an erratic driver approaching the Holland Tunnel, but it was what happened when the car arrived in New Jersey that makes this case noteworthy.

Port Authority police finally spotted Robert Musso’s black Chevrolet when he emerged from the tunnel and attempted to pull him over.

He continued driving, proceeding to the westbound ramp of Route 139 before finally pulling over.

Once the police vehicle pulled in behind him, Musso allegedly put his car in reverse and accelerated backwards, injuring the officer in the vehicle.

He was transported to Jersey City Medical Center and other officers began field sobriety tests of Musso, who collapsed into a police officer’s arms.

The police report notes that Musso blew a .20 on a breath test, or two and a half times the legal limit, and also had several bottles of pills in his car, including Xanax.

He’s been charged with DWI and drug possession, reckless driving, and assaulting an officer- and is obviously in a very serious legal situation.

Even in the best of circumstances, a DWI charge can profoundly impact your ability to conduct your life, and frequently results in a painful cycle of DWI conviction, license suspension, and then subsequent charges and suspensions if you’re caught driving on a suspended license.

New Jersey doesn’t allow plea bargains in DWI cases, so your only real chance at avoiding these traps is to fight back.

Matthew Reisig is one of New Jersey’s most accomplished DWI defense lawyers.

If you’ve been charged in a DWI case, call 732-625-9660 today and talk to an experienced New Jersey DWI attorney for free.

A report out from the personal finance website WalletHub claims that New Jersey’s DWI laws and enforcement are among the most lenient in the nation.

This will come as a surprise to the thousands of New Jersey drivers who’ve been caught up in the cycle of a DWI conviction, a license suspension, being caught driving on a suspended license, and ending up off the roads – or, more likely, driving illegally – and facing a seemingly endless period of suspension and fines.

WalletHub ranked states according to a variety of metrics and found that New Jersey, where DWI is a traffic offense rather than a criminal offense, came in 45th among the states in terms of criminal penalties, but 13th in terms of minimum jail time for a first offense and 6th in the nation for how long past DWI convictions will factor in subsequent charges.

That alone should tell us there’s something screwy with their analysis. We also rank 11th in average insurance rate hikes after a DWI conviction, and 14th for minimum fines for a first offender.

The truth of the matter is that New Jersey has some of the most unforgiving DWI laws in the nation.

Because our state doesn’t allow for conditional or hardship licenses once you’re convicted, many drivers are forced to take to the road without a license to get to work, school, and take care of their families.

This puts them at risk of additional penalties if they’re caught driving on a suspended license, including additional periods of suspension and ever-increasing fines.

It’s a trap that’s caught far too many drivers in our state.

If you’re facing charges for DWI and related offenses, don’t kid yourself that this isn’t a serious matter.

An experienced New Jersey DWI defense attorney is your best shot at protecting yourself down the line.

Don’t be caught in New Jersey’s DWI traps.

Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9660 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyer.

Harrison High School may be hiring another football coach after their most recent appointment, Thomas Ferriero, 50, was arrested. According to police, Ferriero was behind the wheel of a town-owned van that he was not authorized to drive, when he struck a pair of parked cars.

He proceeded to make a U-turn across Hamilton Street and then veered left onto Kingsland Avenue, where he struck a third parked car, in front of the high school where he was scheduled to begin working August 15. Then he crossed over the roadway and hit a fourth, and final, parked car.

Police arriving on the scene found Ferriero slurring and unsteady. He told them he’d had three beers, although his blood alcohol level later tested at .11%, well over the state’s .08% threshold. He faces multiple charges, including DWI, DWI in a school zone, reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, failure to show a license, and leaving the scene of an accident, with additional charges expected.

Needless to say, his legal situation appears dire, but that’s not the worst of it for Ferriero. He’s been suspended without pay after the DWI charges while the Harrison Board of Education considers its options, which may include termination.

Teachers, coaches, and others in the public sector are held to a different standard, rightly or wrongly. Employers like a public school have to consider the reputation of their personnel as they weigh who will best function as role models for the children they educate, and a very public DWI on school property is a quick way to find yourself not only facing significant legal penalties, but also searching for a new career after driving drunk in NJ.

There are defenses in every DWI case, and working with a solid lawyer can go a long way towards getting the best outcome, even in a difficult case. Matthew Reisig has helped more than 1,040 New Jersey drivers avoid conviction on DWI and related charges. Call 732-625-9660 today for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyer.

A 20-year-old Sparta, New Jersey, driver has been charged with several violations, including DWI, after a two-car crash on Tall Oaks Road in Sparta. Shawn P. Monroe was driving overnight on July 30 when his vehicle struck another car. Officers responded and determined that Monroe showed signs of drug or alcohol intoxication. Field sobriety tests were performed, which Monroe allegedly failed, and he was taken into custody by police.

While in transit to the police station, Monroe reportedly became unresponsive, and was instead taken to Newton Medical Center, where he received treatment. He’s been charged with DWI, careless driving, and unclear license plates. As a driver charged with drunk driving under the age of 21, the long-term impact of a DWI can be especially painful, since insurers are not required to cover a driver with a history of drunk driving, and they can be especially punitive to young drivers. Luckily, in this case, the driver of the other vehicle wasn’t injured, and Monroe will have his day in court in the future.

If you or a loved one have been charged in an underage DWI case in New Jersey, you deserve the best representation available. Call Matthew Reisig today at 732-625-9660 for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyer.

A Trenton, New Jersey, driver recently demonstrated how easy it is for a drunk driving traffic incident and DWI charges to turn into a laundry list of criminal charges. Last November, Robert Brandbergh, 49, sped through a traffic light on Route 29, striking a black Hyundai. The driver of that vehicle was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries, but Brandbergh didn’t stop. A witness pursued his vehicle and helped the police locate him after he fled the scene, still moving through traffic, near Route 1 and Perry Street.

Police tried to stop Brandbergh at that point, which the driver, swerving wildly and even hitting a guardrail, either ignored or was unaware of. He eventually tried to park his car on Plum Street, where police moved in and arrested him. The list of charges is lengthy – leaving the scene of an accident, DWI, failure to report an accident, failure to observe a signal, and two counts of reckless driving and careless driving.

It’s plain to see how one bad decision can cascade into a litany of problems, many with potentially serious legal consequences.

When you’re dealing with a DWI charge, or any of the many charges that can stem from a DWI incident, you need capable legal help right away. Matthew Reisig has helped more than 1,040 New Jersey drivers avoid conviction on DWI charges. Call 732-625-9660 today for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyer.

A West Milford driver’s DWI stop provides a clear picture of one of the most common types of evidence in a DWI case. According to Mount Olive police, Paul Bachmann, 41, was seen driving erratically overnight on July 17 while proceeding on Route 46. Police pulled his black Honda over after he failed to maintain his lane.

During the stop, the arresting officer noted that he could detect the odor of an alcoholic beverage and observed that Bachmann appeared to be impaired. He was charged with DWI, reckless driving, failure to maintain a lane, and failure to exhibit an insurance card.

You can bet that if this case goes to court, the arresting officer will be on hand to testify that he witnessed evidence of the driver’s impairment, and could clearly smell the odor of alcohol. This is standard testimony in DWI cases in New Jersey, and fighting back against the assertions of a trained police officer can be an uphill climb. Still, every case has defenses, and every piece of evidence in a NJ DWI case can be challenged with the right legal help.

Don’t take for granted that your case is a done deal, regardless of the circumstances. Matthew Reisig has helped more than 1,040 New Jersey drivers avoid conviction on DWI charges. Call 732-625-9660 for a free consultation with an experienced DWI defense lawyer today.