Charged with a DUI in Clinton? Readington? Raritan? or elsewhere in Hunterdon County? If so, there are some major changes expected to take place in April of 2018. According to nj.com, Hunterdon County has created a central booking center for anyone arrested for being under the suspicion of driving while intoxicated. What that means is that anyone arrested for driving while intoxicated in Hunterdon County will be taken to the Hunterdon County Justice Center, which is located in Flemington, so that they can submit a breath sample into the Alcotest Machine as opposed to being taken to the local precinct. This booking center was created in an effort to cut down on the costs that each municipality is forced to endure by owning their own Alcotest Machine. To put that into prospective, each Alcotest Machine is said to cost around $25,000 and it is not unusual for municipalities to have several machines.
Charged with DWI in Hunterdon County?
According to High Bridge Police Chief, Brett Bartman, this will be considered a pilot program and each municipality in Hunterdon County can choose to take advantage of the program or not. There are several pros and cons to the program, which include the fact that officers may be required to drive a substantially further distance to get to the booking center as opposed to driving back to their local headquarters. With that being said, advocates for the program believe that the central booking center could in fact help patrol the county more efficiently. Officers may be able to return sooner to paroling the streets as opposed to waiting and processing individuals on the Alcotest Machine. According to the Uniform Crime Report of 2015, just under 500 DUI charges were issued in Hunterdon County alone. So, clearly there is a need to try and address the situation but only time will tell whether this central booking center will prove to be beneficial.
Facing a DUI in Clinton New Jersey?
New Jersey takes driving under the influence offenses very seriously. The penalties can be absolutely crippling. Being saddled with a lengthy license loss, high fines and insurance surcharges can quickly turn someone’s life upside down. If you have been arrested for a DUI in Hunterdon or Somerset County, in towns like Union, Flemington, Clinton, Bedminster, Bound Brook, Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Watchung or Manville, the Keith Oliver Criminal Law can help. To set up a free initial consultation today, please contact our office at 908.533.1064 or you can try contacting us online. One of our New Jersey DUI defense lawyers would be glad to discuss the specifics of your case and formulate a game plan that works best to suit your needs. Also, our initial consultations are always free of costs.
For more information on this program, please checkout nj.com’s article labeled Hunterdon County creates central booking for DUI arrests.
