Van inspections generate 82 tickets at road checks
Police plan several
more roadside checks during the year
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — A roadside inspection detail on Herrod Boulevard last week impounded 10 of 27 commuter vans for a variety of violations.
"Eight of the 10 vans were found to be unsafe," South Brunswick Sgt. Michael Kushwara said Tuesday.
South Brunswick police officers and workers from the state Department of Transportation held the surprise inspections on March 14 between 6-10 a.m.
The inspections took place a month after a commuter van caused a five-car pile-up on Route 535.
Seven people were injured in that multivehicle accident which occurred on Feb. 14 at 5:40 a.m. on Route 535 and Stults Lane.
According to police, the collision occurred when the driver of the commuter van, a 1999 Ford Econoline, failed to realize traffic was stopped in front of him.
Police said the van’s driver, Yoni Flores, 42, of West Orange, was headed north on Route 535 in the left lane when he swerved right and struck a 2000 Kenworth tractor-trailer driven by Gerald Clark, 59, of Richmond, Va.
Flores then veered back into the left lane and struck the rear of a 2001 Ford Windstar driven by Eugene Skrzypko, 48, of Carteret. The Windstar was forced into the rear of a 1999 Honda CRV driven by Nancy Nagy, 55, of Woodbridge, according to police.
Flores was charged with reckless driving in the accident, according to police.
According to Kushwara, this month’s four-hour detail led to some 82 summonses being issued to operators, including five for unlicensed drivers.
Kushwara said that this is just one of several similar details surprise inspections planned to take place during the year.
"We know there is a problem out there," Kushwara said.
Last year the department issued 333 summonses during six roadside inspection details run in conjunction with the DOT, according to Kushwara.
Police also impounded 51 vehicles for safety violations.
Among the citations issued last year, 23 were for commercial driver license violations, 37 for unsafe inspection, 27 for improperly registered vehicles, seven for unlicensed drivers, six for uninsured vans, and two to drivers who had their licenses suspended, according to Kushwara.
South Brunswick police have been working for several years now to make the vans that traverse the township safer.
A serious collision in the early 1990s led Police Chief Michael Paquette to make the inspections a priority and to seek out funding and grants to help with enforcement.
According to police, the vans come from the Philadelphia area as well as northern New Jersey to bring workers to jobs in South Brunswick.
Kushwara said that operators charge each passenger anywhere from $5-$40 a week for the service.
As one example, Kushwara said that one of the vans, charging $10 per person, held 14 passengers.
"That is $140 per week for five hours’ work. Not bad money," Kushwara said.
Kushwara said, however, that more of the details will be taking place soon, and that operators better be prepared when they come into the township.
"They better be ready," Kushwara said.