HOWELL – A 25-year-old female resident of the Sewell section of Mantua Township, Gloucester County, is facing a charge of driving while intoxicated following her arrest in Howell on July 1.
Her arrest came after a police pursuit during which the woman was driving westbound in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 195.
According to a press release from the Howell Police Department, at 6:50 p.m., dispatchers received a 911 call from a person who reported there was a vehicle traveling west in the eastbound lanes of I-195 in the area of Wall Township, heading into Howell. The vehicle was identified as a 2007 Toyota Yaris.
Howell Lt. Joseph Markulic entered I-195 at the Route 9 interchange and proceeded east. Police said Markulic was able to perform a tactical block of traffic on the highway to keep eastbound vehicles at a safe distance from the potential oncoming vehicle.
Cpl. Scott Brooks and Patrolman Sean MacDonald responded to assist in stopping the eastbound traffic.
Police said Markulic kept driving east and observed the Toyota traveling west in the eastbound lanes. He attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver evaded him and continued heading west.
Markulic turned around his vehicle and pursued the Toyota in an attempt to stop the driver before she approached the eastbound traffic that had been stopped on the highway.
Police said the driver of the Toyota yielded to emergency vehicles momentarily, but when approached, continued driving west in the eastbound lanes. She finally stopped her vehicle a little farther east on I-195, according to police.
Police said the Toyota was boxed in with the assistance of a Lakewood fire chief who was in a marked chief’s vehicle with activated emergency lights.
Police said the driver, identified as a 25-year-old female resident of Sewell, did not comply with the officers’ commands to exit her vehicle and had to be physically removed from the vehicle.
The woman was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, eluding police and motor vehicle violations. She was processed and released pending a court appearance.
Howell police said the Wall Township Police Department and the New Jersey State Police assisted with the investigation of the incident.