Jaded
June 12th, 2008, 01:21 PM
LAKEHURST — A Toms River man told police he was driving around until he sobered up enough to go home when he was involved in a three-vehicle crash in which a MONOC ambulance overturned at the Route 70 circle, police said.
Edward T. Defreitas, 36, of Timberline Road was driving his 2003 Nissan 350 which struck a car, the ambulance and then a utility pole, which snapped at the base, leaving live wires on the car and in the road, said Sgt. Ronald Heinzman. The crash happened about 10:30 p.m. Monday.
Defreitas was driving his two-seat sports car east on Route 70 and was speeding because he thought he had seen a Manchester police car make a U-turn to pursue him, police said.
At the circle where routes 70 and 37 meet, Defreitas' car struck a 2001 Saturn Ion driven by Francis Romeo of Manchester. Romeo, 51, was not injured, and the car sustained minor damage, police said.
Defreitas' car then struck a MONOC ambulance, which rolled onto the driver's side, Heinzman said. There were two paramedics but no patient on board, Heinzman said.
The driver, David Pardi, 41, of Point Pleasant, and a passenger, Raymond W. Gormley, 57, of Barnegat were taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment.
"Luckily there were no patients on board, very fortunate," Heinzman said.
Injuries to the paramedics did not appear to be life-threatening, Heinzman said.
Defreitas fled the accident scene on foot and was later found on Wranglebrook Road by Manchester officers and the Ocean County Sheriff's K-9 Unit.
Defreitas told police he had been drinking, they said.
"He was waiting for the effects to wear off. He was afraid to go home and his mother finding alcohol on his breath," Heinzman said.
Defreitas was charged with two counts of aggravated assault by auto, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident and failing to maintain a lane of travel, Heinzman said.
Defreitas has two prior charges of driving while intoxicated, one in 2005 in Toms River that yielded a two-year suspension of his driver's license, and one in 2000 in Beachwood with a six-month suspension, according to Mike Horan, spokesman for the state's Motor Vehicle Commission.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080611/NEWS02/806110444/1070
Dumbass....
Edward T. Defreitas, 36, of Timberline Road was driving his 2003 Nissan 350 which struck a car, the ambulance and then a utility pole, which snapped at the base, leaving live wires on the car and in the road, said Sgt. Ronald Heinzman. The crash happened about 10:30 p.m. Monday.
Defreitas was driving his two-seat sports car east on Route 70 and was speeding because he thought he had seen a Manchester police car make a U-turn to pursue him, police said.
At the circle where routes 70 and 37 meet, Defreitas' car struck a 2001 Saturn Ion driven by Francis Romeo of Manchester. Romeo, 51, was not injured, and the car sustained minor damage, police said.
Defreitas' car then struck a MONOC ambulance, which rolled onto the driver's side, Heinzman said. There were two paramedics but no patient on board, Heinzman said.
The driver, David Pardi, 41, of Point Pleasant, and a passenger, Raymond W. Gormley, 57, of Barnegat were taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment.
"Luckily there were no patients on board, very fortunate," Heinzman said.
Injuries to the paramedics did not appear to be life-threatening, Heinzman said.
Defreitas fled the accident scene on foot and was later found on Wranglebrook Road by Manchester officers and the Ocean County Sheriff's K-9 Unit.
Defreitas told police he had been drinking, they said.
"He was waiting for the effects to wear off. He was afraid to go home and his mother finding alcohol on his breath," Heinzman said.
Defreitas was charged with two counts of aggravated assault by auto, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance, driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, failing to report an accident and failing to maintain a lane of travel, Heinzman said.
Defreitas has two prior charges of driving while intoxicated, one in 2005 in Toms River that yielded a two-year suspension of his driver's license, and one in 2000 in Beachwood with a six-month suspension, according to Mike Horan, spokesman for the state's Motor Vehicle Commission.
http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080611/NEWS02/806110444/1070
Dumbass....