Within a three-month time frame a man collected a total of 6 DWIs, has since been sentenced to one year in jail followed by 33 years without driving privileges, though his attorney has claimed that the fault also lies on funding for New Jersey treatment services, as reported by The News of Cumberland County.
A.S., 45, pleaded guilty to three DWIs according to his public defender, attorney Frank Amari Jr. The forth DWI was dismissed and the remaining two will be handled in Superior Court.
Citizens and elected official have been vocal about A.S.'s repeated DWIs causing state law makers to consider increasing the penalties for repeat DWI offenders.
Correction officials will decide whether or not, as pursuant to a request from Amari, to allow A.S. to serve half of his sentence in a treatment facility.
Photographs of A.S in media reports don't, according to Amari, "do him justice." Amari stated, "He's pretty much been portrayed as the poster boy for why DUI laws need to be more stringent."
A.S. suffers with the loss of one leg and lives on limited means. People that know A.S., according to Amari, attest to the challenges he has faced over the years.
Amari added, "In my view, he should be the poster boy for why we need to make treatment services available for people that need it, and that they are funded fully. No one should ever be told we can't have you go to rehab because there's no money for it."
The timeline for the string of DWI charges are as follows: On April 9 A.S. drove his car into a police car at the 300 block of Axtell Avenue in Vineland. On April 11 he was under the influence when he struck a utility pole. On April 25 he was caught swerving near the intersection of Delsea Drive and Park Avenue, and possessing an open 40-ounce container of alcohol in his vehicle. On May 12 he was pulled over but refused to take a Breathalyzer test. On May 16 his DWI charge involved the illegal use of oxycodone. His final DWI occurred about a month later, because he had been incarcerated in the Cumberland County Jail for that period, and occurred on the same day he was due in court on a previous arrest.
A.S. had been released from police custody every time, up until the fifth DWI charge, pending dates in the Vineland Municipal Court.
Amari has since confirmed that his client had a doctor's prescription for the oxycodone medication.
Amari further claimed that he has a more positive view of his client than the news has reported. Amari said, "He takes responsibility for his actions. I've had some very interesting talks with him and have found him to be nothing but a gentleman. He's a likable guy."
Charged with a DWI, DUI, OWI or OUI? Contact a DUI attorney that understands all of the variables involved in your charges to help you avoid jail time and loss of driving privileges.