Last month, a 20-year-old Poughkeepsie man led New Jersey State Police on a high-speed chase without a front tire. Needless to say, once the police caught up to him he faced a number of related charges such as resisting arrest and possession of mushrooms and marijuana; and traffic violations including speeding and DUI.
Police report they saw the man’s 2007 Mazda broken down in the center lane of Interstate 80. He had a flat tire on the driver’s side and drove away as the police approached. He made it approximately nine miles on the interstate driving with just the front wheel rim after the tire came off. Remarkably he was able to reach speeds up to 110 miles per hour during the chase.
His car broke down again in the center lane of I-80 bringing the chase to an end. The report does not elude to any field sobriety tests or proof that the man was driving under the influence. Neither does the story discuss how the search of the man’s car or his person was conducted.
Police say the defendant was also involved in a separate incident in Pennsylvania. He was charged with a hit-and-run that caused extensive damage to his car. The report does not indicate when that event may have occurred.
At the time of this report, the man remained in a New Jersey jail, unable to post his $25,000 bail.
When facing traffic charges that are a little more serious than just a speeding ticket or parking violation, it is possible to lose your license and even serve jail time. However, it is also possible to negotiate a result that will minimize the consequences of even driving without a license, reckless driving or drag racing.
Source: poconorecord.com, “NY man leads police on high-speed I-80 chase despite blown tire,” Kathryn Brenzel, May 7, 2012
