2 Drivers Charged In Separate Suspected DUI Crashes In Hazlet

HAZLET, NJ - Hazlet police are prompting residents to celebrate the new year responsibly after two unrelated DUI crashes were reported hours apart from each other on Tuesday.

A 30-year old female from Union Beach was charged with driving under the influence on Dec. 29 after her vehicle hit a sign, clipped a curb and flipped onto a parked car alongside a house on Bethany Road and Beers Street, according to a report on the township's municipal website.

All three township fire companies responded with the First Aid Squad, which helped extricate a 33 year-old female passenger from Union Beach. The driver was able to leave the vehicle on her own and there were no major injuries reported.

The driver was charged with driving under the influence, refusal to give a breath sample, careless driving, reckless driving and having an open container of alcohol in the vehicle. She was later released.

However, homeowner Lucille LoSapio says the incident left fairly noticeable damage to her house. LoSapio, who has been a resident of Hazlet with her husband since 1985, says the driver’s car went through brick insulation and left a hole through the living room.

“I was two feet away sitting on the couch, I was with my husband,” LoSapio told Patch. “All of a sudden, glass goes flying past my face. A whole table shattered, I got hit on the head by something from the windowsill.”

A representative from the police department was unable to be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Tuesday night also saw the arrest of a 39-year old Union Beach man who lost control of his car and crashed into a new pole in front of Lumber Supermart on Route 36 near Poole Avenue.

The man was charged with DUI and under the influence of narcotics. All three fire companies responded, along with First Aid and assistance from Union Beach. There were no injuries, no other passengers and the roadway was not closed to traffic, according to the report.

Hazlet Police already have extra patrols on duty during New Years Eve to enforce drunk driving laws, according to the township’s municipal website. Law enforcement agencies across the state are patrolling New Jersey roads looking for drunk and impaired drivers as part of the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” holiday campaign, which runs through Jan. 1.

Earlier this month, mayor Mike Glackin signed a proclamation declaring Hazlet's support for the crackdown and pledging to increase awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving.

The Hazlet Township Police Department issued the following statement Thursday morning:

“New Year's Eve is a great night to spend time with friends and family. Please be sure to make it memorable in a good way by getting home safely after the celebration concludes. Use a rideshare, call a cab, designate a sober driver, or even walk if you must. If you do decide to walk, wear bright clothes or keep your phone flashlight on bright so drivers can see you.”