South Brunswick Police Ramp Up DWI Arrests; 4 Recent Incidents

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — South Brunswick police said that a series of serious car crashes over the summer required them to step up driving patrols this September, including drunk driving patrols.

And it's led to a significant increase in arrests for drunk or drugged driving, said Police Chief Raymond Hayducka. For example, so far in 2019, South Brunswick police have made 64 arrests for impaired driving as of this past Tuesday, Sept. 24.

For all of last year there were 58 DWI arrests.

"Our enforcement has resulted in an increased number of arrest for impaired drivers both for drugs and alcohol," said Chief Hayducka. "We will continue to raise awareness and increase enforcement to improve driver safety."

Here are four DWI arrests in South Brunswick so far this September. One of them resulted in a four-car crash with injuries, said police:

1. On Monday, September 16 at 1:10 p.m. Officer Salvatore Fama arrested Roland Lapointe, 24, of Leominster, Massachusetts. Police were called to a four-vehicle crash on Rt. 1 south near Promenade Boulevard. Police say Lapointe was driving a Ford van southbound on Rt. 1 when he ran into a car waiting at a red light at the intersection. The crash caused two other vehicles to be struck in a chain reaction. The three vehicles that were stopped sustained extensive damage from Lapointe running into them, said police. Two drivers suffered injuries.

Officer Fama observed Lapointe leaning on the divider, appearing disheveled and making incoherent statements. Lapointe admitted to drinking in New York City two hours earlier. He was unable to perform field sobriety tests and he was arrested for DWI. He was processed at police headquarters, and given numerous motor vehicle violations. He has a September 26 court date.

2. On Monday, September 16 at 9:58 p.m. Officer Raymond McCarthy arrested Ryan Faas, 21, of Monmouth Junction for drunk driving and resisting arrest after a car crash. Police were called to the intersection of Dean Lane and Georges Road for a motor vehicle crash. When officers arrived they spoke to the occupants of a Jeep Wrangler who indicated that Faas was tailgating them in his Nissan Sentra on Deans Lane. When they slowed to make a left turn, Faas hit them from behind, said police. Faas denied he struck the Jeep and said he only hit a curb, said police. Officer McCarthy said he detected an odor of alcohol on Faas' breath and had him perform sobriety tests. Faas lost his balance during the tests, said police. He was arrested for DWI. He was also charged with resisting arrest. He was charged with numerous motor vehicle violations and given a September 26 court date.

3. On Friday September 20 at 6:11 p.m. Officer Craig Cleffi arrested William Dumchus, 63, of Watchung for drunk driving. Officers were notified of a Honda Accord driving erratically on Rt. 1 south. Officer Cleffi observed a Honda Accord stopped in the turn off lane for New Road. Several cars were going around the stopped Honda as the driver appeared to be asleep. The Honda driver then woke up and pulled his vehicle back onto the highway, where Officer Cleffi stopped him. Officer Cleffi determined Dumchus had been drinking, had slurred speech and slow movement, said police. Dumchus was given field sobriety tests and arrested for DWI. Dumchus was also wanted by Middlesex County Sheriff’s Department for failing to appear in Superior Court on a case. After being given several motor vehicle summonses he was turned over to the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office.

4. On Sunday September 22 at 9:26 p.m. Officer Bryan Garrison arrested William Campbell, 59, of Monmouth Junction for drunk driving. Officers were called to a business park on New Road for a dispute. Officer Garrison arrived and learned that Campbell had been in a dispute with a friend. Campbell explained that he was driving a front-end loader in reverse and went too far and it fell in a ditch. Campbell then went and got a large excavator and drove it over to the ditch. He hooked the excavator to the front-end loader with a chain and was trying to pull it out. Officer Garrison observed Campbell had difficulty standing, slurred his words, had a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath, along with watery blood-shot eyes. Campbell was placed under arrest after failing field sobriety tests. He was transported to police headquarters where he refused to provide breath samples. He was charged with several motor vehicle summonses including DWI and refusal to submit to a breathalyzer.