Unlicensed Drunk Driver Collides With Guardrail: Sparta Police

SPARTA, NJ - A 32-year-old man from Northglen, Colorado, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated after a motor vehicle crash on Dec. 23, according to the Sparta Police Department.

Authorities said that shortly before 4:30 p.m. patrols responded to a motor vehicle
accident at the intersection of Route 15 and Father John’s Lane. Patrol Officer Jonathan Poon spoke to the driver, Erik Tikkanen, and suspected he had been consuming alcoholic beverages prior to being involved in the accident, police said.

Tikkanen was transported to Newton Hospital to be evaluated. Poon obtained a court ordered subpoena for Tikkanen’s blood and urine and subsequently Tikkanen was charged with:

• DWI
• Careless/ Reckless Driving
• Failure to Maintain Lane
• Driving While Suspended
• Obstructing the Passage of Other Vehicles

Tikkanen was given a mandatory court appearance and remained at the hospital for further evaluation, police said.

Thanks for reading! Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site. Have a news tip you'd like to share? Or maybe you have a press release you would like to submit or a correction you'd like to request? Send an email to russ.crespolini@patch.com

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.