A New Jersey man had an alleged DMV DWI when he showed up to take his driver’s license road test.
The man, age 53, wanted to take his road test when the DMV test instructor “detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from [his] breath,” according to the police report .
DMV officials called local police, and a responding officer found the applicant in question “behind the wheel with the engine running, waiting to take the test…” Police administered a standardized field sobriety test at the scene. He was not permitted to take the driving test.
The man, identified in multiple media accounts as Stephen Goss, was taken into custody on charges of DWI and reckless driving. A subsequent test reportedly indicated that his blood alcohol content was.13 (the legal limit in New Jersey and most states is.08). The man was later released to a relative, and will have to appear in court in the near future.
The suspect reportedly drove himself to the testing site in the December 11 incident that has just surfaced in the media, which could suggest that he may have been operating a motor vehicle without a license.
As explained by a police official cited by NJ..com , “Goss’ license wasn’t currently suspended as he wouldn’t have been able to apply for a license if it was… More information regarding Goss’ driving record was not immediately available, he said.”
According to FieldSobrietyTests.org , standardized law enforcement field sobriety testing can include the one-leg stand, the walk and turn test, and the horizontal gaze test. Non-standardized testing includes reciting the alphabet or counting backwards. In most states, a follow-up breath, blood, or urine test is required for a DWI suspect.
It’s understandable to be nervous before a driver’s license test, but do you think that in any scenario that it’s a good idea to consume some adult beverages on the way to the DMV?
