Holmdel Police Say Driver Was Intoxicated When He Lost Control Of His Car

Police say a 33-year-old Middletown man was intoxicated when he lost control of his vehicle on Route 35 and hit a N.J. Natural Gas marker pipe early Sunday morning in Holmdel.

Just before 1 a.m. Sunday, Holmdel Patrolman Frank Sigismondi spotted a heavily damaged Pontiac Grand Prix in the Dearborn Farms parking lot, police said.

When the officer approached the car, and began to speak with the driver, Harold Johnson, of the Belford section of town, the officer smelled alcohol, police said.

Police said they determined Johnson was driving south on Route 35 when he lost control of the car and hit the gas marker pipe near the market.

Johnson was issued summonses charging him with driving while intoxicated, driving while suspended, reckless driving, driving an unregistered vehicle, and leaving the scene of an accident. He was also wanted on outstanding municipal court warrants from Hazlet and Middletown, police said.

He was turned over to Middletown police for further processing, police said.