Drunk Drivers Crash Into Cars, Drive Wrong Way: South Brunswick Police

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ —Over the weekend, two motorists were separately charged with DWI and other offenses after they crashed in other cars and drove on the wrong way of the road, South Brunswick police said.

The incidents took place the same weekend theatre actress Kerri Lynn Shea was killed in a hit-and-run in South Brunswick. More: Theatre Community Mourns Actress Killed In South Brunswick Hit-&-Run

On Friday, Feb. 24, at 8:53 p.m, Yurii Kotiash, 28, from Bucks County PA, was driving his Maserati southbound on Route 1, north of Henderson Road, when he struck the rear of a 2019 Nissan, driven by a 23-year-old Kendall Park man, which had been stopped in traffic, police said.

Kotiash left the scene of the crash and continued southbound on Route 1. Moments later, he ran a red light at Henderson Road at high speed and struck a 2010 Honda driven by a 36-year-old man from North Brunswick, who had been traveling west on Henderson Road, crossing Route 1 with a green light, police said.

Kotiash’s Maserati went off the road into the woods, but he escaped injury, police said. The driver of the Honda was taken to the hospital for treatment of moderate injuries. Kotiash failed all field sobriety tests and at South Brunswick Police Headquarters he refused to supply breath samples for analysis, authorities said. Kotiash was charged with DWI, refusing a breath test, failure to observe traffic, right of way at an intersection, careless driving, and reckless driving, failing to report a crash, and leaving the scene of a crash. On Sunday, Feb. 26, at 3:22 a.m. officers were clearing from the fatal accident investigation on Route 130 when a grey BMW came towards Patrolman First Class Jason Gassman on Route 130 northbound. Gassman got the BMW to stop and questioned the driver Eric Timmons, 47 of North Brunswick.

Timmons admitted to drinking and was given roadside sobriety tests. He was charged with DWI and Careless Driving.

“This weekend was tragic with one woman being killed in a crash unrelated to these two incidents. These two cases could have created even more tragedy,” Chief Raymond J. Hayducka said.

“To crash into cars and drive the wrong way on the highway is reckless, and it was all preventable. Each of these men faces $5,000 in costs as well as a loss of license for seven months for senseless driving while impaired. The message is simple, Don’t Drink and Drive.”

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