Morris County man facing DWI, drug charges after being found unconscious at the wheel
FLORHAM PARK BOROUGH, NJ (Morris County) – A Morris County man is facing several charges after he was allegedly found unconscious at the wheel of his vehicle, according to police.
On Nov. 20, at around 9:30 p.m., a 9-1-1 call was received reporting a driver slumped over the steering wheel in the lane of travel on the Park Ave Connector Road in Florham Park Borough. Officers responded and discovered the vehicle blocking two lanes of traffic at a green light, authorities said.
Police observed the driver, a 41-year-old man from Morristown, unconscious inside the vehicle with the ignition still running. Police immediately entered the truck, checked for signs of life and was able to determine he was breathing and had a pulse. Officers were able to turn the vehicle off and wake the man up, officials said.
Upon further investigation, officers determined that the driver appeared to be under the influence of suspected narcotics, impairing his ability to operate the vehicle safely. During field sobriety testing and questioning, the driver surrendered several folds of suspected heroin. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed additional heroin and evidence of recent drug use, police said.
The driver was arrested, and his vehicle was towed from the scene. He was transported to a local hospital for observation and care. After the driver refused to provide a blood or urine sample, a search warrant was obtained, and the samples were sent to a lab for analysis, police said.
The driver now faces multiple charges, including driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, careless driving, possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) without a prescription. His case is scheduled for an initial court appearance in Morris County Superior Court.
