New Jersey: Drunk driver crashes into cop car, injures officer, police say
A drunk Morristown man plowed through a construction zone early Thursday morning, striking a Randolph police officer's patrol vehicle and sending the officer to the hospital, Randolph police said.
Police said Officer Michael Puskas was working in a construction zone just before 1 a.m. Thursday at the corner of Sussex Turnpike and Mount Freedom Avenue.
Sussex Turnpike was closed with barricades and cones as vehicles were detoured onto Mount Freedom Avenue.
Officer Puskas and another officer, Sean Verbist, sat in their vehicles about 30 feet from the closure with emergency lights activated.
Despite the lights and roadblocks, 20-year-old John Paulsen, of Morristown, drove his 2002 Toyota Rav 4 through the cones and barricades, according to a news release from police. Officer Verbist yelled to warn Officer Puskas, but his vehicle was struck head-on, police said.
Police said the impact of the crash caused extensive damage to both cars. Officer Puskas, who was in the car at the time of the crash, was injured. Police did not specify his injuries.
Puskas was transported to Morristown Medical Center and later released, police said, adding that Paulsen was not injured.
After an investigation of the crash, Paulsen was arrested and charged with assault by auto, driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said. He was also issued several motor vehicle summonses and was released pending a future court appearance, according to police.
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