Basking Ridge Man Drove Drunk In Car With 1 Missing Tire: Cops

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — A Basking Ridge man was charged with DUI after he was found to be driving in a truck that was missing a tire, police said.

On Wednesday Robert Piper, 29, of Basking Ridge was driving a Ford F350 pickup with partially functioning headlights and a missing front passenger side tire, Bernards Township Police Lt. Jon Burger said.

Piper's truck was causing a large cloud of debris and dirt on the roadway as he was driving on a bare rim which was scraping against the asphalt, Burger said.

Police pulled Piper over and while speaking to him smelled the odor of an alcohol coming from Piper, Burger said.

Piper was arrested and charged with driving under the influence. Piper refused to consent to the taking of breath samples, Burger said.

Police also reported arresting another township resident for drunk driving on Wednesday as well.

At about 12:15 a.m. Rudrapras Bhattacharjee, 41, of Basking Ridge was stopped by Lt. Eric Geleta on King George Road.

While speaking with Bhattacharjee, Geleta smelled the strong odor of an alcohol coming from Bhattacharjee, Burger said.

Geleta had Bhattacharjee do field sobriety tests and then arrested and charged him with driving under the influence.

Bhattacharjee allowed breath samples which found that his blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit, Burger said.

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