A New Jersey Department of Transportation worker is charged with driving drunk when the snow plow he was operating struck two vehicles.
According to police in Pequannock, 36-year-old Roger Attieh of Boonton sideswiped a vehicle around 5:40 p.m. Monday at the Boulevard and Route 23 intersection.
Attieh exited his truck, inspected the damage, returned to his vehicle, began to drive away and then struck a second vehicle in the rear, police said
No one was injured.
Dawn Coleson saw the plow headed straight for her car. "I held the brakes so I didn't hit the car in front of me and I stopped the car and got out, looked at the damage and banged on the guy's window and said 'you hit me'", said Coleson.
Attieh apologized and waited for police. "He was unsteady on his feet, two police officers had to hold him up. They gave him DWI testing," said Coleson.
Officers saw signs consistent with alcohol impairment. Police say Attieh registered a .37 blood alcohol reading, nine times over the legal threshold for a commercial driver.
He was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated in a commercial motor vehicle and reckless driving.
Attieh has been arrested three previous times for DUI, including once just last month.
In a statement, the DOT said "We take these issues very seriously and the department is fully cooperating with local law enforcement's investigation. Mr. Attieh is an NJ DOT employee and the department has begun its investigation required for disciplinary action."
The Department of Transportation does occasional checks on employees drivers licenses, but didn't catch this one.
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Drunk snow plow driver had blood alcohol level nine times legal limit
Don’t drink and plow.
A New Jersey state employee was caught working a snow plow with a blood alcohol degree 9 occasions the authorized restrict for business drivers — his fourth DWI arrest up to now, cops stated.
Roger Attieh, 36, failed his BAC check miserably on Monday after being pulled over in Pequannock by native police, in response to the Every day Document.
He had been plowing snow for the Division of Transportation — nailing two automobiles alongside the best way — when he was stopped by cops.
Within the first crash, cops stated Attieh sideswiped a car, obtained out to examine the injury, after which returned to his DOT truck to proceed his route. He then hit the second automotive as he tried to drive away.
Attieh did all this whereas additionally spreading salt on the snow-coated roadways, the Every day Document stories.
Fortunately, there have been no accidents in both accident.
“NJDOT takes these points very significantly and the division is absolutely cooperating with native regulation enforcement’s investigation,” defined NJDOT Communications Director Steve Schapiro.
“Mr. Attieh is an NJDOT worker and the Division has begun its investigation required for disciplinary motion.”
The state employee already has three DWI arrests on his document — together with his most up-to-date coming simply final month in Denville. He was additionally busted in 2007 and 2002.
Schapiro declined to remark when requested by the Day by day Report concerning the strategy of background checks and driving data.