Ramsey Police Charge Man With DWI Twice In 1 Day

RAMSEY, NJ — Police charged a man they found passed out in a car with DWI and then, when he went back to get his car from police, charged him again, authorities said.

Ramsey Police received an anonymous call about an unresponsive person in a car at Suraci's Pond on Woodland Avenue at 7:42 a.m. Saturday, said Police Chief Bryan Gurney.

Sgt. Timothy Shoemaker woke the man, Richard B. Haskell, 71, of Mahwah and smelled alcohol on his breath, Gurney said. Haskell also had an alcoholic beverage in between his legs, the chief said.

Haskell had a blood alcohol content of .21 percent, Gurney said. He was released.

At 12:21 p.m., Haskell drove to the Ramsey Police Department in a 2009 Mercury wagon looking for a release for his car that was towed from the earlier arrest, the chief said.

Based on the results from the earlier Alcotest test, police determined that Haskell would be over the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle, the chief said. Police administered another Alcotest test and Haskell's blood alcohol content was .14 percent, Gurney said.

Haskell was charged with two counts of driving while intoxicated and having an open alcohol container in a motor vehicle, Gurney said.

Haskell is due in Ramsey Municipal Court Oct. 24.

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Photo: Richard B. Haskell, 71/Ramsey Police Department