Sparta Township – DWI Driver Crashes After Swerving to Avoid Deer

A drunk driver was injured after he swerved to avoid a deer, causing his pickup truck to crash into a fire hydrant Tuesday night, April 14.

38 year-old Micahel Elchin II from Montclair was traveling on Lafayette Road at around 8:45 p.m. when he served to avoid a deer, causing his pickup truck to swerve off the roadway and crash into a fire hydrant, disabling the pickup truck.

Emergency responders found Elchin with several scratches on his arms, with Elchin refusing medical attention.

Police found an open bottle of alcohol inside the pickup truck, determining that Elchin was drunk after a series of field sobriety tests.

Elchin was brought to Newton Hospital for evaluation.

Elchin was charged with DWI, careless driving, open container in a motor vehicle, failure to keep right and failure to produce documents.

We are glad no one was seriously hurt in this crash. We hope the driver is able to recover from his injuries quickly.

Vehicular Accidents

Vehicular crashes are one of the most common causes of injuries and fatalities in the state of New Jersey. In a report published by the New Jersey State Police Fatal Accidents Investigation Unit, there were 591 recorded fatal crashes that occurred in 2017, which caused 624 fatalities.

In 158 of the 591 crashes, Driving While Intoxicated (alcohol and/or drugs) was listed as the major contributing factor. There were 174 people killed as a result of these 158 crashes. Speeding was another major contributing factor to these crashes being listed as a factor in 61 of the crashes. Driving while distracted seems to be the biggest factor as it was listed as a cause for 196 crashes.

We urge drivers to observe and follow the laws while driving, and to remain focused while driving so that they can react accordingly to situations that may suddenly pop up on the roadway. Drivers should be more careful when driving while visibility is low, and they should also check their car before going on the roadway. Being more diligent and prepared can help lessen accidents on the roads of New Jersey.