DENVILLE TOWNSHIP, NJ (Morris County) – A Morris County man was charged with a DWI, assault by auto in connection to a crash that left an officer injured in Denville Township, according to police.
On Monday, Nov. 13, at around 12:20 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle traveling east in the westbound lanes of Route 10. Officers attempted to get the driver, who was later identified as Keith Smith, 55, of Dover, to stop his vehicle but were unsuccessful, police said.
Another Denville police officer had positioned his patrol car to stop all oncoming traffic on Route 10 westbound at Mount Pleasant Turnpike. As Smith approached this officer’s location, he failed to yield to the police lights and sirens and collided with the stopped police vehicle, police said.
During the course of the investigation, Smith, who allegedly displayed signs of intoxication, and the involved officer were both transported to the hospital, treated for minor injuries, and released, police said.
Smith was then arrested for driving while intoxicated and assault by auto. He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, careless driving, failure to maintain lane, wrong way on a one-way street, and failure to yield right of way to emergency vehicles.
Smith was released pending a court appearance.
