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Subscribe to RSSA New Jersey State Police trooper has been charged with drunken driving and other offenses after striking two parked cars, crashing his police vehicle into a backyard creek and then fleeing the scene, according to reports.
Trooper Kevin Byrne, 33, of Spring Lake Heights, N.J., was off-duty at about 2:45 a.m. on July 25 when he allegedly hit the unoccupied cars, which were parked in an area frequented by tourists of the Jersey Shore.
At the same time, the Lake Como Police Department received a report of a hit-and-run accident, the Star-Ledger reported. The report said police found an unmarked state police vehicle in a nearby creek.
No one was injured in the wreck.
The department notified the New Jersey State Police, which took over the investigation.
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A spokesman for the state police, Acting Sgt. 1st Class Brian Police, told the Star-Ledger that Byrne was arrested at about 3 a.m. at his home, more than two miles away from where he abandoned his car.
The man who reported the accident to Lake Como police, Nicholas Duva, told the Star-Ledger he was awakened that night by car alarms. He said he went outside and saw his two cars had been struck. One was totaled and the other severely damaged, he said.
“We’ve been renting here a couple of years,” Duva said. “This wasn’t exactly in the vacation plans, but these things happen. One was my son’s car and I’m really happy no one was hurt.”
Byrne was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, careless driving likely to endanger person or property, and leaving the scene of an accident, according to Lake Como municipal court records. He is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.
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Under the New Jersey State Police’s policy governing alcohol use, any accident involving a trooper under the influence of alcohol requires a response from the field operations commander. The commander is responsible for ensuring all proper law-enforcement procedures are followed.
Byrne is assigned to the Central T.E.A.M.S. unit, a highly specialized group of emergency responders. He made $94,232 last year in regular salary, not including overtime and other pay, according to state payroll records.
The state police’s alcohol policy states that even off-duty troopers are prohibited from drinking, even while on vacation, to the extent that it might affect their work because they could be called to duty at any time – particularly if they are a member of an emergency-response team.
Police said Byrne, a 10-year veteran, was suspended without pay the same day as the incident, pending the outcome of the criminal charges and an internal investigation by the state police. Troopers found in violation of the alcohol policy can be dismissed from the force, with the final decision resting with Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes.
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Guilty until proven innocent! Hes a cop, throw the book at him and make sure he spends plenty of time in jail with the innocent people hes had convicted!
I dont know about the innocent people he convicted but I agree, since he is a officer he should lose his license and get jail time.
Are you suggesting that he's being treated any worse than any other drunk driving, hit-and-run suspect? What has happened to him that wouldn't happen to any other?
Angry guy, He should be held to a higher standard as he was hired to uphold the law, not just obey it
WOW!!! Looks like a great big OOOPS by the Patrolman. Innocent till found guilty. Guilt seems to lean in his favor. I hope some rehab is in his future so he can salvage his career.
Unless this was not his first time with a DWI, there will be no jail time. There were no injuries, only property damage, according to the story. A civilian would not see jail time for this so it's safe to say that a cop won't either. I would guess he can kiss his job good bye though.
He'll resign before the trial..this way he still gets a pension when he hits retirement age for troopers..think thats 45 years old.
$94 k per year and perks galore..what a idiot he is!
Being that it says he was already suspended pending a criminal investigation, this won't look good on him being a Trooper much longer.
I know he SHOULD be held to a higher standard. He'd probably claim he is, but I'd be satisfied to see him held to as high a standard as a "civilian".
If he was found drunk at home and not discovered drunk behind the wheel, DUI while driving may be difficult to prove. He could come up with any excuse for the accidents and them claim he started drinking once at home because of the stress from the accident; its a very common defense that works well.
If this cop didn't hit the 2 other cars this would have been covered up.
Make an example of this clown...throw the book at him and take away his cushy six figure job and give it to soemeone who can stay sober...
"What? My patrol car isn't parked outside? Someone must have stolen it!! Why do you ask?"
And you'd think a LE officer would know that fleeing the scene and leaving a car registered to you isn't much in the way of an alibi maker. Musta been really into his cups to even consider it?
Hahahahahahahahahahaha. Glass houses coppers
Cops are people too - Romoney
Wait ... he made how much last year before OT? WTF? And we wonder why our states are going broke!
That is nothing compared to some of the local cops here, pulling more on overtime than their salaries. We are broke for a reason.
Model citizen....
Believe it or not, its hard to get jail time for DUI's unless you have injured someone severely, killed somebody or have multiple offenses.
He will most likely lose his job and pay a hefty fine...that's all.
He was suspended without pay earlier in the day for other criminal actions yet he still had his police vehicle? Who was dumb there?
It isn't clearly writtenm but I think that he was suspended for this action. The wreck took place @ 2:45 a.m.
No, it says "He was suspended that same day" Meaning he was suspended that same day for this DUI, leaving the scene, etc..." It happened at about 2:30 AM and later THAT SAME DAY he was suspended...Geez
Karma's a bitch.
That guy's last name is Police? What are the odds?
to help put that paragraph in its proper context, think about that suck-up you work with, you know him/her..(there is always at least one)....and what do you think will happen here?...........a little time off and re assigned elsewhere at the most, the only thing that surprises me is it will be WITHOUT pay,............
Typical. "Do as I say; not as I do".
I wonder what the criminal investigation was where he was suspended? Something we'll never know I guess.
Never mind this. After reading another site I see the suspension was due to THIS incident, and not that he was already suspended.
Read it again. It says he was suspended the same day. They are talking about these charges!! It happened at about 2:30 AM and later THAT SAME DAY he was suspended for it!!
So even though I added a post saying "never mind" about 45 minutes before your responce, you still reposnded. I guess we are both feeling a little "not too swift".
He will see no jail time and will not lose his job. We will never see the outcome because this will be the last article ever written about it. It will be covered up and disposed of. My daughter lives with a cop and I have seen him stopped while DUI and never arrested or even ticketed. As soon as he shows his ID card (not even a badge) he is released to drive. You see, police officers are professionals who have been trained to drive drunk.
Coming from a family with a long history of law enforcement, I to am aware of instances like you mention. As sad as it is, there is a double standard. I'm not saying they're all like that, but if it happens onece, thats one too many.
And this, ladies and gentlemen, is one example of how to throw your life away. I was surprised to see that he was placed on unpaid suspension. At least no one was hurt. Maybe the officer will see this as a wakeup call and he'll reconsider his drinking habits before he does hurt himself or someone else.
Fricsaid
When you consider the time of the incident and when they 'located' him, he likely failed the breathalyzer and subsequent blood test. It would be hard to dispute even by his union rep.
Wasted 10 years doing a job he probably enjoyed and now will have trouble getting a minimum wage job.
Is there something going on amongst the NJ State Police? They've certainly had their share of idiots on the force lately.
They really are having a rough year, aren't they. Not sure why.
Their share of idiots? They are idiots. Arrogant pri(ks who think they are the law, not those entrusted with the responsibilty for enforcing the law. My job requires me to deal with them at least 3-4 times per month recovering impounded vehicles. They are uniformly rude and talk to you like you are stupid.
94K salary for a cop. Vehicles cost in excess of 50K; with Hemis, fancy LED bars, all the other expensive, excessive crap they gives these CLOWNS.......................................................................just to SCREW public out of money to pay for these toys. Not even a pinch of what judges, prosecutors get and much more rewarding scams.
Is their a bigger scam out there than "law enforcement" ?????? SHOW ME.
churches.
john m-3370719
I'm not 100% positive, but I believe the NJSP is still using the Ford Crown Vics as their primary vehicle. Hemi's are Chrysler motors. I tend to believe Ford wouldn't use a Chrysler motor. Just sayin.
Oh, and remember to call them clowns if they're involved in helping you out one day. I'm sure they'll thank you and still do their job of helping you.
TFNJ
How about Wall Street or the Federal Reserve Bank. Maybe Social Security. Ah hell... Government and banking in general!!
Local cops have been switching to Hemi vehicles, but as far as I have seen the NJSP are all still driving Fords, and some SUV's.
Property taxes, beach prices, Oil and gas prices... yes we can go on.. :)
plenty of unmarked hemi chargers and durangos. yes they use hemis.
$94K to patrol the highways? WOW........
Policing has truly been monetized to the point of ridiculous........
NOT a Good Thing! Too Bad! Whatta Shame! Gees, Golly,Bites! NEXT!
At least they have a good policy of using a different agency to investigate. I had a bad experience here in California, I saw an obviously impaired driver on the freeway late at night all over the road, I called 911 and followed him. An Irvine PD eventually responded and pulled him over as I watched from across the exit. The guy in the car flashed a badge and was let go to continue his wandering across freeway lanes.