New Jersey Assemblyman Paul Moriarty has remained in the news after his arrest for suspected driving while intoxicated. Moriarty has repeatedly said that he wants to make it clear that he “consumed no alcoholic beverages.” He has maintained his innocence from the start, but because he is an important public figure, his words have remained under scrutiny by the media.
After he was charged with driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to a Breathalyzer test and one other criminal count, the Assemblyman came out and said that the arrest was more than a mistake, but that it was an abuse of power.
As of earlier this month, the police report remained out of the media’s hands. Without the official police report, many details of the arrest remain unknown. A single, edited report was made and released to the media. This report failed to include details such as the arresting officer’s reasons for suspecting that the Assemblyman had been drinking as well as the reason for the traffic stop.
The Assemblyman shared that he was only moments away from his car dealership when he was pulled over. He said that the officer had stopped him for allegedly cutting the officer off at an intersection. Moriarty said that it was when he “disputed his assertion” that the officer began questioning him about alcohol and asked him to step out of his vehicle and participate in a field sobriety test. He refused to submit to a Breathalyzer.
Source: nj.com, “Police release some details of N.J. Assemblyman’s DWI charge,” Jarrett Renshaw, Aug. 1, 2012
If you have been arrested for DUI based on a field sobriety test or a Breathalyzer, our Morristown DUI page provides more information about defending against the charges.