Cops: Driver Allegedly High on Heroin Crossed Over Morris County Road, Crashed in Yard

A Phillipsburg man allegedly driving under the influence of heroin crashed into someone’s front yard on Schooley’s Mountain Road, Washington Township Police said.

At 4:19 p.m. on Feb. 21, Officers John Lee and Ryan Olah responded to 296 Schooley’s Mountain Road for a reported motor vehicle crash, Lt. Doug Compton said. Upon arrival the found a Toyota Corolla had crossed into the opposite lane of travel and crashed in the front yard of a private residence, Compton said.

Lee made contact with the driver, Anthony Faratro, 47, who appeared “deliberate in his movements while exiting the vehicle and his speech was slow and slurred,” Compton said.

Faratro’s pupils were constricted and he appeared to be under the influence of a drug, Compton said.

An investigation revealed several opened heroin folds in plain view, and another 31 heroin bags in the car after Faratro consented to a search, Compton said.

Faratro was taken to police headquarters where he was given field sobriety tests and evaluated by a drug recognition expert, Compton said. It was determined he was under the influence of a narcotic, Compton said.

Faratro was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and being under the influence. He was also issued summonses for driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, and failure to keep right.
Faratro was released pending a court appearance.

No one was injured as a result of the incident.

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