Drunk driver in Mount Olive punished for near fatal limit of alcohol

MOUNT OLIVE TWP. –A 57-year-old Hackettstown woman could have died after she was arrested for driving at four times the legal limit of alcohol in her blood.

The woman, Nancy J. Anderson Ziegert, pleaded guilty to drunk driving before Municipal Court Judge Brian Levine on Monday, April 24. Ziegert’s blood alcohol concentration reading was .32, compared with the legal limit of .08 concentration of alcohol in blood.

Ziegert was fined $406, a $250 surcharge, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board and $33 in court costs. Her license also was suspended for seven months.

Court and law enforcement personnel said they could not recall a situation where a drunk driver had such a high blood alcohol reading.

Except for people who have developed a very high tolerance for alcohol, a blood alcohol content of 0.20 percent represents very serious intoxication. A range of 0.35 percent to 0.40 percent usually represents potentially fatal alcohol poisoning. A reading of 0.40 percent is the accepted lethal dose for about half of adults. In rare cases a very heavy long time drinker may be able to have a reading of .80 or even higher, according to bac-calculator, a website that calculates the impacts of drinking.

The website, Awareawakealive.org, noted that driving skills and muscle coordination are impaired with a reading of .08. At .20, most people begin to experience blackouts; at .300, many people lose consciousness; and at 400, most people lose consciousness and some die; and at .450, breathing stops in most people.

In other court matters, Felipe Marquez, of Dover; and Lajonna S. Harrell, 32, of Budd Lake admitted to a second charge of drunk driving; and Sharon E. Morgan, 56, of Great Meadows, admitted to a second charge of driving under the influence of drugs.

Marquez registered a .23 blood alcohol reading and Harrell’s blood alcohol reading was .19.

Each of the three were fined $506, a $250 surcharge, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board and $33 in court costs. Their licenses also were each suspended for two years and each was ordered to complete one month of community service.

• Deisy Gonzalez-Gonzales, 35, of Budd Lake, admitted to her fourth charge of driving with a suspended license. She was fined $1,006 and $33 in costs and was ordered to complete 10 days with the Morris County Sheriff’s Labor Assistance Program.

• Arthur J. Appleby, 32, of Budd Lake, pleaded guilty to possession of a hypodermic syringe and was fined $150, $500 to the state drug abuse resistance program, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board, $50 to the N.J. State Police lab and $33 in court costs.

Appleby also admitted to possession of drug paraphernalia and was fined $50, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board, $50 to the N.J. State Police lab and $33 in court costs.

• Hector F. Vasquez, 35, of Rochester, N.Y., was admitted to the conditional discharge program for a first offense, minor drug charge. He was fined $833 and will be randomly tested for drugs during the year. The charge will be dismissed if there are no further drug-related arrests over the coming year.

Vasquez also was fined $106 and $33 in costs for failing to have his license changed.

• Danielle F. Mohan, 23, of Washington (Warren County), pleaded guilty to failing to turn over drugs to law enforcement and was fined $100, $500 to the state drug abuse resistance program, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board, $50 to the N.J. State Police lab and $33 in court costs.

Mohan also admitted to obstructing justice and was fined $150, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board and $33 in court costs.

• Najee U. Davis, 38, of Plainfield, pleaded guilty to possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and was fined $100, $500 to the state drug abuse resistance program, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board, $50 to the N.J. State Police lab and $33 in court costs.

Davis also was fined $106 and $33 in costs for driving with a suspended license.

• Robert H. Moorhead, 51, of Port Murray, pleaded guilty to drunk driving with a .15 blood alcohol reading; and Lawrence D. Petrone Jr., 21, of Washington (Warren Count) admitted to drunk driving with a .12 blood alcohol reading.

Moorhead and Petrone were each fined $306, $250 surcharge, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board and $33 in court costs. Their licenses also were each suspended for seven months.

• Driving while using a cell phone cost Kyle Wrobleski, 29, of Port Murray, $606 and $33 in costs.

• Samuel Litvak, 17, of Port Washington, N.Y., admitted to speeding 107 in a 65 mph zone and was fined $506 and $33 in costs.

Monday, April 17 Court

• Kerlon M. Dalrymple, 37, of Brooklyn, N.Y., pleaded guilty to a second charge of driving under the influence of drugs. He was fined $506, a $225 surcharge, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board and $33 in court costs. Dalrymple’s license was suspended for two years and he was ordered to complete one month of community service.

Dalrymple also was fined $106 and $33 in costs for careless driving.

• Richard Menagh, 56, of Stanhope, admitted to his latest charge of driving with a suspended license. He was fined $1,006 and $33 in costs and was ordered to complete10 days with the sheriff’s work program. The penalty indicates at least a third charge.

• Anthony Rodriguez, 19, of Wharton; and Nicole S. Dalrymple, 42, of Brooklyn, N.Y., were each admitted to the conditional discharge program for a first offense, minor drug charge. Each was fined $833 and each will be randomly tested for drugs during the year. The charge will be dismissed if there are no further drug-related arrests over the coming year.

• Robert Haschak, 30, of West Milford, pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia and was fined $150, $500 to the state drug abuse resistance program, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board, $50 to the N.J. State Police lab and $33 in court costs.

• Anthony T. Grasso, 62, of Flanders, pleaded guilty to drunk driving with a blood alcohol reading of .09. He was fined $256, $250 surcharge, $75 to the N.J. Safe Neighborhoods Program, $50 to the N.J. Victims Crime Compensation Board and $33 in court costs. His license also was suspended for three months.

• Isidro L. Verdezoto, 48, of Newark, admitted to driving with a suspended license and was fined $506 and $33 in costs.

• Ramzi M. Harb, 28, of Whippany, admitted to speeding 105 in a 65 mph zone and Dylan E. Cadmus, 18, of Stanhope, admitted to speeding 94 in a 65 mph zone.

Harb was fined $506 and $33 in costs and Cadmus was fined $456 and $33 in costs. Cadmus also was fined $106 and $33 in costs for not having a provisional driver decal on his car.

• Christina M. Dugan, 39, of Landing, admitted to driving while using a cell phone and was fined $406 and $33 in costs.

Source: newjerseyhills.com