By Leah Kahn, Staff Writer
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Seven drivers —including one driver who nearly backed into a patrol car — have been arrested for driving under the influence by the South Brunswick Police Department since the annual “Drive Sober or Be Pulled Over” campaign kicked off Aug. 21.
The annual statewide campaign, which targets drunk driving, runs from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7. Chief of Police Raymond Hayducka said the South Brunswick Township Police Department is adding more police officers on patrol to seek out drunk drivers through Labor Day.
One of those seven drivers — 42-year-old Bhaumik Kaushik, of Marlboro — was charged with driving under the influence after the Porsche he was driving nearly struck a South Brunswick Township Police Department patrol car in the parking lot at the Double Tree Hotel on Route 1 on Aug. 27.
A police officer observed the Porsche being driven erratically in the hotel parking lot. When a police officer tried to stop the car, the driver — identified as Bhaumik Kaushik — mistakenly put the car in reverse and nearly struck the patrol car, police said.
He told the officer that his erratic driving was the result of trying to find a parking space, but the officer charged him with driving under the influence, careless driving and other motor vehicle violations.
Two more drivers were arrested for driving under the influence after they were involved in separate accidents that injured five people, according to police. Four of the victims were visitors from Canada.
The four Canadian visitors were injured when their Dodge Caravan was rear-ended by a 2007 Mazda driven by Evan Tschabold, 20, of East Brunswick Township at 3:58 a.m. Aug. 29 on Route 1 North, near the Dow Jones Company offices.
Mr. Tschabold was driving the car at 75 miles per hour when he looked down at his Google map on his phone, and struck the minivan, police said. He was charged with driving under the influence and careless driving. The four victims were taken to the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro for treatment.
A 54-year-old Trenton man suffered minor injuries when a 2015 Kia driven by Bodi Fan, 31, of Georgia, crossed over from the northbound lane of Route 535 (Cranbury-South River Road) into the southbound lane and struck his 2003 Buick at 12:40 a.m. Aug. 29.
Mr. Fan, meanwhile, was charged with driving under the influence, careless driving and failure to maintain lane. The victim was taken to the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro for treatment, police said.
A one-car accident that occurred at 3:51 a.m. Aug. 31 resulted in a charge of driving under the influence leveled against Shane Griffin, 21, of Milltown, after the 2000 Mercury Mountaineer sport utility vehicle he was driving ran off the road on Georges Road, near the Crossroads North Middle School, and struck a utility pole and a mailbox.
A 39-year-old Princeton resident, Handeep Patel, was charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, speeding and failure to maintain lane at 11:40 p.m. Aug. 23 after he was stopped for speeding on Route 522.
Police charged Patrizia Cuccia, 28, of Manalapan with driving under the influence and reckless driving after she was observed asleep in her 2009 Toyota — in traffic — on Route 535 at Ridge Road on Aug. 22. The car was also missing a rear wheel, but she could not explain to police where she lost the tire.
And a 23-year-old North Brunswick Township man — Hemrajani Rahul — was charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving and speeding after police stopped him for speeding in his 2014 Acura on Route 1 South at 12:30 a.m. Aug. 21.
“We have more than 100 hours of dedicated (police) enforcement. Our focus is to have a safe end of the summer by increasing awareness and enforcement,” Chief Hayducka said.
