On March 1, a southbound 18-wheeler hit a guard rail, near the bridge over the CSX railroad tracks north of Ingleside Avenue, Pennington.
By:
James L. Tlumac, the 51-year-old driver of a tractor-trailer that went out of control on Route 31 in the predawn hours of March 1 was drunk at the wheel, Hopewell Township police say.
At about 4:15 a.m. March 1, the southbound 18-wheeler loaded with decorative paving stones first hit a guard rail, near the bridge over the CSX railroad tracks north of Ingleside Avenue. After hitting the rail, the truck hit an unoccupied dump truck parked in the lot of the Happy School child-care center. Then the tractor-trailer hit a utility pole, demolishing it, and careened into woods.
Mr. Tlumac of Round Top Drive, Annandale, was taken to Capital Health System, Fuld Campus, Trenton, by the Pennington First Aid Squad for treatment of a concussion and lacerations. Blood drawn at the hospital confirmed police suspicions based on a strong odor of alcohol on Mr. Tlumac’s breath that he had been driving while intoxicated, police said.
Mr. Tlumac was charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated while using a commercial driver’s license, driving while intoxicated in a school zone, reckless driving and failure to stay in lane by Patrolman Chris Vaccarino. The case will be heard in municipal court.
Route 31 was closed in both directions for four hours as a result of the accident. The truck itself was on the road legally, police said.