Lacey Police Arrest Toms River Man Twice In Three Days For Drunk Driving

They’ve got to stop meeting this way.

Lacey police charged Brian Nelson, 38, Baywood Drive, Toms River, with driving under the influence on Dec. 16 and Dec. 19, both times in the parking lot of JR’s Liquors on 1000 Lacey Road in Forked River, Police Chief David A. Paprota said.

Officer Anthony Sarno responded to the store at 6:49 p.m. on Dec. 16 on a report of a man passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle in the liquor store parking lot. He arrested Nelson for driving under the influence and took him to police headquarters. Nelson was also charged with reckless driving and refusal to submit to breath samples, the chief said.

The vehicle he was driving was impounded pursuant to John’s Law.

Three days later, Officer Frederick Anderson responded to the store at 5:44 p.m. on a report of an aggressive driver who pulled into the parking lot and was passing out behind the wheel. Nelson was arrested again for driving under the influence. He was taken back to police headquarter, where he was also charged with reckless driving, failure to submit breath samples and driving with an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, Paprota said.

The vehicle that Brian Nelson was driving was impounded pursuant to John’s Law.

“Due to this arrest being the second DUI arrest of Brian Nelson by officers of the Lacey Township Police Department within a three-day period, efforts were taken to hold the vehicle for longer than the statutory 12-hour period,” Paprota said.

Police were told by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office that Nelson’s car had to be returned to Nelson under current law. Bail could not be authorized for the two DUI charges in the absence of a criminal charge, the chief said.

The vehicle was returned to Brian Nelson as required by law.