By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
Township Committeeman Lance Liverman, saying Wednesday that his drunk driving case is a “private matter,” did not want the media present when he pleaded guilty, so he took steps to have an unannounced court date on Sept. 20.
Mr. Liverman pleaded guilty to drunk driving and refusing to take a breathalyzer test, charges that arose from when he sideswiped an idling tractor-trailer on I-95 north in Hopewell Township on Aug. 9.
His plea resulted in a seven-month suspension of his driver’s license and around $1,000 in fines. As a result, he will not have to stand trial on Oct. 9 in Hopewell Township Municipal Court.
Mr. Liverman, a Democrat running for election to the new, consolidated Princeton Council in November, said Wednesday that his case was not on the regular court docket for Sept. 20 but the court accepted him to come in on that time. He said that is something that happens regularly, not some special treatment he received.
”This is a private matter,” said Mr. Liverman, who has been unhappy with the media focus on his case.
”I did not want the attention on me,” Mr. Liverman said in a phone interview. “I’m tired of this sensationalism at my cost.”
Mr. Liverman, 50, said losing his driving privilege would not hinder his ability to serve on the governing body.
”I can get from point A to point B,” he said, adding that people have offered to give him rides.
In recent days, he has been at public events, including a political fundraiser featuring Michelle Obama on Sunday.
As for the accident last month, Mr. Liverman has said that he was driving home from Philadelphia, having had dinner and drinks after working a long day. He has maintained that he was not drunk.
On the trip back to Princeton, his blue Honda Pilot hit a tractor-trailer idling on the right shoulder around 1:55 a.m. No one was injured.
He refused to take a breathalyzer test, leading State Police to charge him with drunk driving, refusing to take the breathalyzer and related motor vehicle offenses.
Mr. Liverman has said he will not resign his seat on the Township Committee or quit his campaign to serve on the new council.
His fellow Democrats have stood by him.
”This is a personal matter for Lance,” said mayoral candidate and current township Deputy Mayor Liz Lempert on Wednesday. “He’s a great colleague, and I hope to be able to serve with him in the new government.”
Mr. Liverman, who is black, said that after reflecting on the entire incident, his race “could have” played a role in the way state police treated him.
He said a white state trooper had told him to sit back, while he was handcuffed and bent over at the police station after his arrest. He said the same trooper, who charged him with the drunk driving and other offenses, would not entertain a request to downgrade the charges, even though Mr. Liverman said lawyers have told him police have done so for drivers who have clean driving records and are first-time offenders such as himself.
He added that he was not considering filing a civil rights complaint.
State police spokesman Lt. Stephen Jones had no comment Wednesday on Mr. Liverman’s raising the race issue.
”Every trooper sees the dangers of driving under the influence and takes that violation very seriously,” he said.
He said that once authorities determine a motorist is to be charged with drunk driving, they will pursue that process through the court system to its completion.

