Wrong-Way Driver Charged With DWI Near Newark Airport: Cops

NEWARK, NJ — Port Authority police charged a New York man with DWI after he allegedly drove the wrong way in traffic on Route 78 near Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday morning, officials said.

According to the Port Authority, the arrest took place around 5 a.m., when officers in a marked police car allegedly saw Sam Ganash, 48, of Queens, New York, drive his 2015 Nissan sedan against traffic in the left lane of Route 78, forcing nearby cars to swerve to avoid hitting him.

Officers pulled over Ganash, who stopped his vehicle on a median near exit 57. During the encounter, a NJ State Police car also arrived on the scene; the officers told their Port Authority peers that their barracks had just received a report about a car driving the wrong way on Route 78 around milepost 58.

The Port Authority officers spoke with Ganash, who allegedly “smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot and watery eyes.” Police said that Ganash also “had trouble following the officers’ instructions for driver and vehicle documents.”

Ganash failed a field sobriety test; a subsequent breath test showed him to be twice above the legal limit, authorities said.

Police arrested Ganash on the scene and impounded his Nissan. Authorities charged him with DWI, reckless driving and multiple traffic violations.

Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Newark Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Shutterstock