By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
Police were in a very giving mood this holiday season, arresting five drunk drivers and issuing a total of 180 tickets as part of a crack down on drinking and driving.
”Our goal with these details was to ensure a safe holiday season,” Chief of Police Raymond Hayducka said in a statement with the results of the crack down. “In addition to the drunk driving arrests, there was a five percent reduction in accidents this holiday season. Our commitment to creating safer roads is a never ending task.”
Patrols were increased during the holiday season through a grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety from Dec. 15-Jan. 2, according to a press release from the department.
Nationally, the effort was part of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” program which included several national television advertisements showing arrests for drinking and driving.
The roving patrols ended up making five arrests for drinking and driving, according to the release.
Monmouth Junction resident Jaimin Patel, 41, was charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving and failing to maintain a lane at 12:57 a.m. Dec. 15 after his 2002 Honda Civic went off the road and into a drainage ditch on Riva Avenue, according to police.
He was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick for treatment following the incident, police said.
The next day at 1:30 a.m., police charged Ashley Gunther, 26, of North Brunswick with driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, driving an unregistered vehicle, careless driving and having an open container of alcohol in her 2010 white Subaru.
While responding to a report of a struck utility pole, police found Ms. Gunther’s vehicle on the front lawn of a house near the intersection of New Road and Friendship Road.
According to police, the vehicle had heavy front-end damage, but Ms. Gunther was not inside the vehicle.
Police said a friend had taken her to the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro following the accident, where police later charged her.
East Brunswick police picked up Chandresh Chitalia, 47, of East Brunswick after he allegedly left the scene of an accident on Cranbury Road and Davidson Mill Road at around 8:18 p.m. Dec. 20.
According to police, Mr. Chitalia allegedly struck a township man who was stopped on a motorcycle at the stop sign.
Mr. Chitalia was charged with driving under the influence, assault by auto and endangering the welfare of an injured person, according to police.
He was lodged at the Middlesex County Adult Correction Center in North Brunswick in default of bail, according to police.
Wendy Urena, 30, of New York City was charged with driving under the influence, refusal to take a breathalyzer test, careless driving, speeding and failure to maintain a lane after being stopped by Sgt. Mike Lapoint on Route 1 at 11:26 p.m. Dec. 28, according to police.
Thomas Spiecker, 18, of Sayreville, was charged with driving under the influence, underage drunk driving, careless driving, making an illegal U-turn and not having insurance after being pulled over on Cranbury Road at 1:06 a.m. Dec. 30.
In addition to the drunk driving arrests, police also arrested seven people on outstanding warrants, according to police.

