Almost anyone can fall victim to driving while intoxicated (“DWI”) as illustrated by the arrest of a Cranford committee men. Andis Kalnins, the former mayor of Cranford and a current committee member, was charged with DWI by the state police after being stopped on Interstate 78 in Warren Township New Jersey.
The accused was allegedly speeding and operating his motor vehicle erratically resulting in a DWI stop. Following a series of field sobriety tests, Mr. Kalnins was arrested and charged with DWI, reckless driving, speeding and failure to maintain lane.
Under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50, captioned “Driving while intoxicated”, it is a violation to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (“BAC”) of 0.08% or more. The classic way for the police to demonstrate this level of BAC is using a Drager Alcotest 7110 Evidential. This device measures breath alcohol concentration and is the current standard for proving alcohol intoxication in New Jersey. There is a strict standard that must be adhered to by police in operating the Alcotest including a mandatory 20 minute observation period prior to administration.
It is also important to keep in mind that the prosecutor in Cranford and even the municipal court judge, is prohibited from plea bargaining a DWI case. This practice refers to discretion to downgrade a motor vehicle offense without any legal reason basis. Plea bargaining is prohibited in DWI cases making it necessary for a defendant to demonstrate some defect in the state’s case in order to overcome a 39:4-50 charge. This is a primary reason why it is important to hire a skilled Cranford DWI Lawyer.
Cranford NJ DWI Lawyer
The attorneys at our Cranford Law Office possess exceptional qualifications for defending your DWI offense. Our defense team includes eight lawyers, several of whom are former municipal prosecutors, that have been appearing in Cranford Municipal Court with success for decades. The head of our DWI Department is Colin Bonus, a highly accomplished DWI lawyer with over 35 years experience. Mr. Bonus is among a handful of lawyers stateside whose practice is limited to DWI defense. He is also certified on the Alcotest and as an instructor in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing. To speak to Mr. Bonus or another lawyer on our staff in a free consultation, contact us at 908-272-1700.
Additional Information Concerning This Arrest Can Be Found In The Following Article: Cranford committeeman charged with DWI, reckless driving
