BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer
EDISON — It may be years since Police Chief Thomas Bryan patrolled the streets as a patrolman.
But that didn’t stop him from switching hats last week, which led to an arrest of a 21-year-old Sayreville man.
John X. Thasites was charged with driving under the influence, possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia, according to police.
Bryan, who became chief of police in 2009, said he was leaving a Township Council meeting on Sept. 12 in an unmarked sport utility vehicle when he observed a Mercedes Benz in front of him driving erratically around 8:55 p.m. on Plainfield Avenue heading toward Route 1.
The chief activated his SUV’s emergency lights to stop the Mercedes after the driver allegedly swerved abruptly while throwing an empty cigarette pack out of his car window.
The driver, later identified as Thasites, veered into the on-coming lane and hit a tree near Seymour Avenue, police said.
Bryan radioed for police backup and medical assistance to help Thasites, who suffered a bloody nose and facial bruises when his car’s airbag deployed, police said.
Police Officers John Cercatore and Michael Goldfarb and emergency medical services arrived on the scene.
Thasites was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Medical Center, New Brunswick, for treatment of facial injuries. After his arrest, he was released on his own recognizance and will appear in Edison Municipal Court next month.
“It was an unusual evening, to say the least,” said Bryan. “But, it gave me a firsthand chance to see our officers handle this investigation with professionalism and compassion for this injured driver. I couldn’t be prouder.”