SPARTA TOWNSHIP, N.J. (Sussex County) — A Hopatcong man was arrested, accused of drunk driving, after police said he was found asleep behind the wheel of a parked vehicle outside a restaurant in Sparta Township Sunday night.
Police said they responded around 10:30 p.m. Aug. 24 to a report of a driver slumped over the steering wheel of a car parked in front of Casa Mia restaurant. A concerned citizen had contacted dispatch after noticing the man had been unresponsive for an extended period.
Officers identified the driver as Emil Vanderpaauw, 62, of Hopatcong, who appeared impaired and gave inconsistent answers about his whereabouts, according to police. Vanderpaauw admitted to consuming alcohol earlier in the evening in Hopatcong. Two open vodka containers were also found under the driver’s seat.
Police said field sobriety tests were attempted but stopped because Vanderpaauw could not follow instructions or maintain balance. He was arrested and taken to Sparta Police Headquarters, where he refused to submit to a breath test.
Vanderpaauw was charged with driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to a chemical test, consent to take samples of breath, open container in a motor vehicle, reckless driving, careless driving, and failure to notify the MVC of an address change.
He was released pending a mandatory court appearance, police said.
