Crime & Safety

DWI Checkpoint Leads to 7 Kinnelon Arrests

Police officers talked to 363 drivers on Route 23 North.

Kinnelon police arrested seven drivers who were stopped in a DWI checkpoint on Route 23 Friday night for either driving while intoxicated, possessing a controlled dangerous substance or possesing drug paraphernalia, according to Lt. John Schwartz.

Schwartz said the checkpoint began at 10 p.m. on Route 23 North and included officers from Kinnelon, Butler, Riverdale, Pequannock, Montville, Boonton, Parsippany and the Morris County Park Police, Morris County Prosecutor's Office and Morris County Sheriff's Department. The checkpoint was one of four that was organized by the Morris County Police Chiefs Association. Kinnelon also participated in the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" program last year.

Schwartz said the checkpoint lasted until 3 a.m, during which time the highway was limited to one lane of traffic while officers spoke to drivers near the Lowe's parking lot.

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"Every third to fifth car was pulled into the Lowe's parking lot where they would speak to an officer, receive traffic safety literature and continue to their destination," Schwartz said. "If while interacting with the driver the officer felt the driver was intoxicated or had other reasonable suspicion that a crime had occurred, that driver would be detained for further investigation."

A total of 363 drivers were spoken to, Schwartz said, leading to seven arrests. Two individuals were charged with DWI, five people were charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia and three vehicles were impounded, he said.

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Schwartz said the Kinnelon Police Department and Morris County Police Chiefs Association apologized for the traffic delay.


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