FLORHAM PARK BOROUGH, NJ (Morris County) – A 31-year-old woman from Flanders is facing multiple charges, including driving under the influence and refusal to submit to a breath test, after Florham Park police stopped a vehicle traveling the wrong way on Columbia Turnpike during a rainstorm early Sunday morning, April 6.
According to police, the department received a report just after 2 a.m. of a vehicle traveling on the wrong side of Columbia Turnpike. Officer Chris Heredia, who was nearby, quickly located the vehicle driving eastbound in the westbound left-turn-only lane near James Street, continuing through the yellow safety zone.
Dashcam footage shows the suspect vehicle driving eastbound in the westbound left-turn-only lane near James Street and continuing through the yellow safety zone. The officer immediately turned around to follow and stop the vehicle. The footage also shows the vehicle struggling to navigate its turn lane and stop correctly at a red light, before eventually turning northbound onto Hanover Road while traveling in the southbound lane.
The officer stopped the vehicle and, during the encounter, suspected the driver was impaired. After conducting field sobriety tests and observing signs of intoxication, the woman was arrested. An alcoholic beverage was also found in one of her clothing pockets, police said.
She was transported to Florham Park Police Headquarters for processing, and during the same, it became evident to the officers, after several opportunities to correct her behavior, that she was intentionally attempting to subvert the administration of the breath test. She was subsequently charged with “refusal” as a result, police said.
The driver was charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, refusal to submit to chemical breath testing, reckless driving, careless driving, failure to maintain lane of travel, failure to give proper signal while turning or stopping. She was released to a responsible adult pending a court appearance.
