By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
A near collision with a police car and a short chase led police to charge a Franklin Park man with DUI for the fifth time.
According to police, William Campbell, 52, of Franklin Park, was driving his 1994 Ford pickup truck south on North Umberland Way at 1:30 a.m. May 26.
Mr. Campbell then proceeded through the Route 522 intersection without stopping and almost collided with a marked patrol car operated by Sgt. Frank Lombardo, police said.
Sgt. Lombardo had to slam on his brakes to avoid a collision and then activated his lights and attempted to stop the vehicle, police said.
The truck then allegedly accelerated through the South Ridge development, striking two curbs, according to police.
Mr. Campbell’s vehicle then turned east on New Road with Sgt. Lombardo in pursuit. He then turned and drove behind some buildings in a commercial development off of New Road, police said.
During that pursuit, Mr. Campbell’s truck allegedly made a U-turn and came back at Sgt. Lombardo’s patrol car.
Sgt. Lombardo was, again, able to avoid a collision with the truck as it passed by him, police said.
According to police, Mr. Campbell then pulled his truck to the rear of one of the buildings and “stumbled” out of the vehicle where he was arrested by Sgt. Lombardo.
Mr. Campbell had been previously convicted for DUI four times and has had his license suspended 10 times, according to police.
He was charged with DUI and eluding police and was lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick in default of $25,000 bail, according to police.

