Mahwah Man With Three Teens In Backseat Arrested On DWI Charges
Additional charges may be filed against man who had three intoxicated teens in his car Thursday morning, police said
A Mahwah man was arrested after driving while intoxicated with three teenage girls in the backseat of his car, Mahwah Police Chief James Batelli said Thursday. The 16 and 17-year-olds were also intoxicated at the time of the arrest, Batelli said.
Che G. Muller, 21, was pulled over at about 2 a.m. last Thursday in the Fardale section of Mahwah after Police Officer Rosario Zito noticed his silver Toyota 4-Runner speeding and driving in an “erratic manner,” Batelli said. Muller was arrested and charged with a DWI, driving with a suspended license, and other driving infractions, Batelli said. According to police, there were also outstanding warrants for Muller’s arrest that had been issued by Borough of Emerson and the Township of Mahwah.
The three teenage girls in the car “were released to their parents pending the processing of juvenile complaints for consumption of alcohol by a minor,” Batelli said.
The investigation into the event is continuing, and additional charges may be filed against Muller, Batelli said. Muller was released Thursday and has a scheduled appearance in Mahwah Municipal Court.
Batelli said the arrest serves as an important reminder for parents of teenagers in Mahwah.He released the following statement:
This incident underscores the importance for parents to have frank and open discussions with their children about getting into vehicles with drivers who have been drinking. Parents should impress upon their children that they should never get in a car with a driver behind the wheel who they know or believe has been drinking. These are important discussions that every parent should consider having with their children. The alert observations of Officer Zito may well have prevented an accident.
Driving under the influence of alcohol and the resulting death and critical injuries caused by alcohol related crashes are a national tragedy. Some statistics show that 45% of people who die in car crashes involve a drinking driver under the age of 21 are people other than the driver. While these types of crashes can occur in a split second they unfortunately can leave scares that can last a lifetime.
Jessica Mazzola
6:52 pm on Thursday, April 12, 2012
Editor's Note: This article originally stated that the arrest occurred this Thursday, 4/12. It actually occurred late last week, according to Mahwah Police sources. The date has been corrected in the article.
Mahwah Resident
7:27 pm on Thursday, April 12, 2012
This is crazy, the only place I was allowed to be when I was 16+17 was asleep in bed! Where were the parents on this one? Obviously not teaching their girls to make good decisions, and hang out with good people.
Regenbogen
7:44 pm on Thursday, April 12, 2012
Another fine job by the Mahwah PolicevDepartment!!
John Smith
7:57 pm on Thursday, April 12, 2012
When I was a kid we had both respect and a bit of fear for our parents. They were parents not our best friends. Today and being a parent of girls now in their early 20's kids expect too much and respect way too little. Parents have to fear being haunted by DYFUS if they attempt to discipline the kids. Send them to their rooms yea great they have every modern electronic device known to mankind. Just bring them food and let them use the bathroom and they are in heaven--that is not discipline. You spank your child and you are considered to be a sex offender. So food for thought. But something has to be done to get the children to respect the parents because, well, we have lived through it and yes we are wiser.