It appears the mentality of our elected officials in Washington has “trickled down” to our state elected officials. To be specific:
• Our elected officials in Washington enjoy a 9 percent approval rating based upon the fact that they are ignoring the wishes of the general population. Or at least, are not cognizant of what’s going on with the American public, and reacting.
• It appears that same mentality is now affecting state Sen. Robert W. Singer and assemblymen Ronald S. Dancer and Joseph R. Malone (all R-30).
Recently there was a story where a woman finally killed someone while driving, this after having her license suspended 47 times. What state regulations allowed this to happen? What’s being done to see that it doesn’t happen again?
In a recent article, “Assault By Auto Charge Nets Three-Year Probation” (Tri-Town News, Aug. 14, 2008), the article goes on to say that the individual pleaded guilty to:
• operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content in excess of .08 percent;
• never having been licensed to operate a motor vehicle;
• speeding in excess of the posted limit, resulting in one occupant of the vehicle involved in the crash sustaining nonthreatening injuries, and another occupant of the vehicle sustaining severe permanent traumatic brain injury.
• All three occupants were below the minimum age for legal consumption of alcohol in New Jersey, but had consumed alcoholic beverages before entering the motor vehicle.
For this the driver — who was walking away from the accident when the police arrived and, by the way, ignored an order to appear before the court — received:
• Probation for assault by auto for three years.
• Has to pay $200 per month in restitution and received a suspension of his right to obtain a driver’s license for a period of one year.
How are the state legislators involved? The prosecutor’s office sated that there is a statutory presumption for a defendant who is being sentenced for the third- or fourth-degree crime to receive a probationary sentence.
This statute should be explored by our elected officials for possible change. I would rather read that they were doing this and effecting more stringent results, than reading about how we as residents of New Jersey can explore the many options of choosing a cellular phone service.
This driver knew that he was doing something illegal when he was drinking under the legal age, when he was driving a vehicle with no license, was speeding, walked away from the accident, and ignored a court order to appear.
My question is, when are the state legislators going to tighten up the restrictions and make adjustments to the laws that make sense. Aren’t the state legislators fed up with reading that another drunk driver, who has had his/her license suspended, went out and had an accident while driving?
Common sense tells us that the car should be confiscated and that the person should spend a minimum of 90 days in the county jail (to give them a taste of being a jailbird) and should be placed on probation for a period of three years. This after the first time, not the 47th time.
I truly believe that the 47th suspension person had a medical problem but again, as in the case of the recent 17-year-old, knew they were committing illegal acts, but had no fear of the law. This should change, and could with the help of our elected officials.
Donald C. O’Connell
Jackson