Jersey City Driver Arrested on Suspicion of DUI
A driver was arrested on November 15, 2008 on suspicion of drunk driving after he plowed his car into an area where garbage was stored. A pedestrian was struck by one of those trash cans and injured in the knee. According to this news report, 41-year-old Phillip Serpe of Jersey City refused to take a field sobriety test. Officials still arrested him because they said they smelled alcohol in Serpe’s breath and saw he “was unsteady on his feet.” He was reportedly charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol.
In New Jersey, police officers who stop suspected DUI drivers may administer a series of tests officially known as the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST). These tests basically consist of three parts of physical investigations to help determine whether or not the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Drivers who refuse to take these tests will usually end up getting arrested and often will face other penalties.
These field sobriety tests are key elements in a New Jersey DUI trial. They could be used to prove the guilt or innocence of a driver. But a skilled New Jersey DUI defense attorney may be able to challenge these tests in court because they are often unreliable as the sole determiners of a DUI charge. Our New Jersey DUI attorneys thoroughly examine these tests in order to ensure that these tests were administered properly and the results of the test were in fact accurate.
If you or someone you love has been arrested on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs in New Jersey, please call Lependorf & Silverstein for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our offices have years of experience handling DUI cases and field sobriety test problems throughout New Jersey.
