A police officer from Washington Township NJ has been accused of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and causing a drunk driving accident in Pennsylvania.
The suspect, a 45-year-old resident of Great Meadows NJ, is employed as a police officer for the Washington Township Police Department. According to authorities, the suspect was highly intoxicated while he drove a Nissan Armada SUV on a road in Hazleton, PA. At some point, the suspect allegedly lost control of the motor vehicle and crashed into a number of cars.
Police officers from multiple PA police department went to the area after receiving reports about a vehicle moving erratically across lanes.
When Hazleton PA police officers arrived at the scene, they saw that someone had crashed into numerous vehicles, including cars that were parked on the side of the road.
Pennsylvania State police officers quickly found the suspect and brought his SUV to a stop at the intersection of 15th Street and Locust Street in Hazleton, PA.
According to officials, the suspect’s vehicle had significant damage to its front-end. Beyond that, the vehicle’s airbag had reportedly been deployed.
The suspect was arrested and subsequently charged with several traffic offenses, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and reckless driving.
After being placed under arrest and processed, the suspect was ordered held at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility in Pennsylvania.
The Washington Township chief of police said that the entire incident was “unfortunate.” Moreover, said the Washington Township police chief, the suspect has been suspended without pay while Washington Township authorities investigate the alleged DWI accident.
For additional information about this case, read the NJ.com article, “N.J. Cop Charged with DUI, Resisting Arrest in Pennsylvania.”