Checkpoint on Rt. 35 yields 4 DWI arrests

BY JENNIFER DOME
Staff Writer

BRICK — The Brick Township Police Department made several arrests as a result of the sobriety checkpoint conducted Sept. 4.

According to a report compiled by township police Sgt. John Sutton, four arrests were made for driving while intoxicated, as well as arrests for possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of alcohol while being underage and having an open container in a motor vehicle.

The checkpoint began at midnight Sept. 4 and continued until 4 a.m. that morning on the northbound side of Route 35. The overflow parking lot at Brick Beach I was used to pull vehicles over, according to Sutton’s report.

Approximately 10 township police officers and six from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office were on duty at the site. In addition, two township police officers assisted the checkpoint as chase cars.

More than 390 vehicles passed through the checkpoint and all the vehicles were checked, according to Sutton’s report.

The sergeant has said that the checkpoints are used to distribute information intended to educate motorists about driving while intoxicated and seat belt use.

The time and location of the checkpoint was not released ahead of time.

This particular checkpoint was run by township police officers who were paid through the Prosecutor’s Office. The township runs its own checkpoints as well, and township police officers also receive funding through the state’s Drunk Driving Enforcement Fund.

According to Sutton, the change in the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) level, which dropped from .10 to .08, hasn’t affected the arrest numbers. During the Sept. 4 checkpoint, three arrests were made for people with a BAC of .08, while one arrestee had a BAC of .14.

The following people were arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, and other charges as listed, on Sept. 4 on Route 35:

Michele Anne Cole, 37, Schindler Drive, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated reckless driving and careless driving at 12:25 a.m. Cole was processed and released.

Eugenie Cecelia Por Tanova, 57, of North Caldwell, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving at 1:01 a.m. Por Tanova was processed and released.

Kerry Megan Lattanzio, 33, of New York City, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving at 1:02 a.m. Lattanzio was processed and released.

James Layafette Carpenter, 48, of Browns Mills, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated at 3:39 a.m. Carpenter was processed and released.