Recently, a New Jersey State Trooper from Spring Lake Heights was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol when he allegedly struck two parked cars, crashed his vehicle into a creek and then fled the scene of the accident. The trooper was off-duty at the time of the car accident. The car was found backed into a creek, and the police officer in question was arrested at his home. Luckily, no one was injured, although one of the cars was severely damaged.
Under New Jersey law, any drunken driving accident involving a state trooper requires a response from the trooper’s field operations commander, who is in charge of ensuring that all proper safety procedures are being followed by the state troopers. The trooper charged with driving under the influence in this particular case was a 10-year veteran of the state troopers assigned to a highly specialized team of first responders. New Jersey state troopers are prohibited from drinking at all times to the extent that their job duties are affected due to the fact that they can be called up on duty at any time, especially if they are on a first responder team.
Drunk driving accidents are a serious threat to motorists, particularly in instances such as in this case, where the offender was someone normally tasked with protecting the public safety. While it is fortunate that there was no one killed or injured in this particular case, that is not the case for thousands of motorists involved in drunk driving accidents. The injuries many people suffer in such accidents can last for a lifetime.
Anyone injured by a drunken or otherwise negligent driver may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering incurred as a result of the a motor vehicle accident and for any disability.
Source: NBC News, “New Jersey State Trooper Charged with Drunk Driving After Crashing Car into Creek,” Aug. 8, 2012