FREEHOLD – A female driver was saved from overdosing by law enforcement and emergency services personnel during a DWI checkpoint last Friday night, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Allenhurst Police Chief and Monmouth County DWI Task Force Coordinator Michael Schneider jointly announced on Friday.
The adult driver pulled into the checkpoint on Friday night, May 31, in the Asbury Park Circle and was speaking with a Monmouth County Sheriff’s Officer when she suddenly became disoriented. Shortly thereafter, she became unconscious behind the wheel of her vehicle, which was still in gear. Additional officers came over to assist and were able to get the vehicle into park and pull the unconscious driver from inside the car.
Officers administered three separate Narcan deployments before the female eventually started to show signs of regaining consciousness. The driver was transported by the Wanamassa First Aid Squad to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where she was treated and released.
The checkpoint was shut down for approximately 30 minutes while officers dealt with the medical emergency.
“This weekend’s DWI check acted as a safety net for not only this driver, but other residents and motorists who may have been in the vicinity at the time of the medical emergency,” Prosecutor Santiago stated. “I shudder to think of what may have happened if this driver wasn’t stopped at this checkpoint and continued driving down the road when the emergency took place. I’d like to thank our officers and medical personnel, whose quick actions saved a life and prevented what could have been a much worse outcome for everyone involved.”
“I think this incident shows just how important these checkpoints are,” Chief Schneider commented. “It’s extremely likely that pulling into this checkpoint saved this woman’s life. We have an extremely successful program in Monmouth County, and I think this puts an exclamation point on just how important these checkpoints are in keeping our roads safe.”
Summonses for the driver are pending an ongoing investigation.
The checkpoint contacted 686 vehicles that evening, with 9 summonses issued and 1 arrest.
