Man Arrested for DWI After Speeding Recklessly in Princeton, NJ

On April 2, 2024 around 12:10 AM, Patrolman Mark McCoy with the Princeton Police Department observed a 1994 Mercedes S32 driving 53 MPH in a 35 MPH zone on Mercer Street. He initiated a traffic stop and the vehicle pulled over on Mercer Street in the vicinity of Olden Lane. He subsequently made contact with the driver, who was identified as 22-year-old Edward. When Edward was asked for his documents, he told Patrolman McCoy that he did not have his license. As he was speaking with Edward, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment.

Edward was asked to write down his information on a piece of paper, and he was able to provide a copy of the vehicle’s registration. While Edward denied consuming alcohol, he seemed to have trouble with reciting the alphabet or counting backwards. Patrolman McCoy returned to his patrol car to check his information and he called for another officer to come to the scene and assist with the administration of field sobriety exercises. After Corporal Craig Humble arrived on scene, Edward was asked to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises.

Corporal Humble started with the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test, and he would later tell Patrolman McCoy that he observed 6/6 indicators of impairment. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Edward did not touch heel-to-toe on each step and failed to keep his arms at his sides. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test, and he failed to raise her foot in the proper fashion while displaying a lack of balance.

Based on his excessive rate of speed, the odor of alcohol, and his inability to perform the field sobriety exercises in a satisfactory manner, Edward was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated. His vehicle had to be impounded for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law and Patrolman Rund remained on scene until the vehicle was removed by Stewart’s Towing.

He was transported to the Princeton Police Department for further processing. At the Princeton Department, Corporal Humble read him the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, and he eventually agreed to submit breath samples after initially giving an ambiguous answer. His Alcotest results indicated a BAC of 0.137%, which was over the legal limit of 0.08%.

After he was processed, he was released to his father pending his court appearance after he signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Edward’s behalf. Patrolman McCoy issued Edward the following summonses: Operating under the influence, reckless driving, careless driving, speeding, and failure to provide license.

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