Post by Critique on Feb 2, 2007 22:36:31 GMT -5
02/2/07
BY ALEX BIESE
WALL — The results of the blood-alcohol test taken by Capt. Bernard Sullivan following his arrest early Saturday morning on a charge of driving while intoxicated were not available Thursday because they are considered evidence by the Police Department, Township Administrator Joseph Verruni said.
Verruni said the township is awaiting word from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office as to whether the test results are public record. Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin and First Assistant Prosecutor Peter Warshaw were not available for comment Thursday.
Reached at his home Wednesday, Sullivan, who joined the force in 1984, declined to comment, referring all questions to his attorney, James Fagen. Fagen, whose firm is in Freehold, could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Sullivan, 41, of Belmar Boulevard, was stopped while traveling west on that road at 12:03 a.m. Saturday by Wall Patrolman Todd Verrecchia, officials said.
In his police report, Verrecchia, who was traveling north on Route 35, wrote that he saw a car run a red light at the intersection of 16th Avenue and Route 35 and proceed across four lanes of Route 35 onto Belmar Boulevard, nearly causing a collision with another vehicle on Route 35.
The motorist was driving on the wrong side of Belmar Boulevard, according to Verrecchia's report. The patrolman pulled him over near Marconi Road, and recognized him as Sullivan.
When Verrecchia asked Sullivan to turn the car off, Sullivan replied, "Are you ——— kidding me?" When Verrecchia asked a second time, Sullivan said, "I live 200 yards up the road, you can follow me," according to the report.
Sullivan also was charged with reckless driving, disregard of marked lanes and failure to observe traffic.
During an emergency meeting Tuesday, the Township Committee voted to rescind a resolution naming Sullivan to replace retiring Chief Roy Hall.
Capt. David Morris is now managing the force's day-to-day operations. Morris and Sullivan both were among the five candidates to replace Hall, Verruni said.
While the copy of the arrest report obtained Wednesday by the Asbury Park Press appeared to have one page blanked out, Verruni said the only information redacted from the public copy of the report was Sullivan's social security number, address, telephone number, license number and license plate number.
The Press also sought copies and transcripts of police radio transmissions made during the arrest under the Open Public Records Act. Verruni said under the Open Public Records Act the tapes would be made available to the Press by Feb. 5.
Wall police initially said neither were available because the machine recording all police transmissions was in a room under construction that has been inaccessible for months.
app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070202/NEWS01/702020387/1004
BY ALEX BIESE
WALL — The results of the blood-alcohol test taken by Capt. Bernard Sullivan following his arrest early Saturday morning on a charge of driving while intoxicated were not available Thursday because they are considered evidence by the Police Department, Township Administrator Joseph Verruni said.
Verruni said the township is awaiting word from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office as to whether the test results are public record. Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin and First Assistant Prosecutor Peter Warshaw were not available for comment Thursday.
Reached at his home Wednesday, Sullivan, who joined the force in 1984, declined to comment, referring all questions to his attorney, James Fagen. Fagen, whose firm is in Freehold, could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Sullivan, 41, of Belmar Boulevard, was stopped while traveling west on that road at 12:03 a.m. Saturday by Wall Patrolman Todd Verrecchia, officials said.
In his police report, Verrecchia, who was traveling north on Route 35, wrote that he saw a car run a red light at the intersection of 16th Avenue and Route 35 and proceed across four lanes of Route 35 onto Belmar Boulevard, nearly causing a collision with another vehicle on Route 35.
The motorist was driving on the wrong side of Belmar Boulevard, according to Verrecchia's report. The patrolman pulled him over near Marconi Road, and recognized him as Sullivan.
When Verrecchia asked Sullivan to turn the car off, Sullivan replied, "Are you ——— kidding me?" When Verrecchia asked a second time, Sullivan said, "I live 200 yards up the road, you can follow me," according to the report.
Sullivan also was charged with reckless driving, disregard of marked lanes and failure to observe traffic.
During an emergency meeting Tuesday, the Township Committee voted to rescind a resolution naming Sullivan to replace retiring Chief Roy Hall.
Capt. David Morris is now managing the force's day-to-day operations. Morris and Sullivan both were among the five candidates to replace Hall, Verruni said.
While the copy of the arrest report obtained Wednesday by the Asbury Park Press appeared to have one page blanked out, Verruni said the only information redacted from the public copy of the report was Sullivan's social security number, address, telephone number, license number and license plate number.
The Press also sought copies and transcripts of police radio transmissions made during the arrest under the Open Public Records Act. Verruni said under the Open Public Records Act the tapes would be made available to the Press by Feb. 5.
Wall police initially said neither were available because the machine recording all police transmissions was in a room under construction that has been inaccessible for months.
app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070202/NEWS01/702020387/1004