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Community Message has been issued by the South Brunswick Twp Police Department.
Monday July 11, 2011 11:20 PM EDT
FATHER CHARGED WITH ASSAULT BY AUTO, CHILD ENDANGERMENT FOR ACCIDENT THAT CRITICALLY INJURED DAUGHTER
A Somerset County father has been charged with second degree assault by auto and second degree child endangerment, as well as drunk driving and reckless driving following an investigation into a May 21, 2011 accident. The accident took place at the intersection of Ridge Road and New Road in the Monmouth Junction section of the Township. The accident happened when Sarathe Gunaskera age 56 of Bedminster drove his 2001 Lincoln Town Car on New Road through a stop sign and into a Ridge Road home.
The intersection requires drivers on New Road to make a left or right onto Ridge Road. At the time of the accident Gunaskera told officers he drove straight because his GPS did not tell him to turn. An investigation by Officer Monica Posteraro and the South Brunswick Traffic Safety Bureau uncovered evidence the GPS was not to blame. The investigation discovered that Gunaskera was intoxicated at the time of the crash and had just left a gathering near the scene of the crash.
The accident severely injured Gunasekera 13-year-old daughter. She suffered a head injury and multiple facial fractures. His wife was also injured in the crash suffering a severe head laceration. Both have been released from the hospital.
Gunasekera was charged after blood samples submitted to the New Jersey State Police laboratory came back showing his blood alcohol concentration was above the legal limit. The severity of the charges was increased because the accident took place within a 1,000 feet of an elementary school.
Gunasekera surrendered at South Brunswick Police headquarters at 4:20pm Monday afternoon. He was released after processing and posting $50,000 bail.
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Now I think DUI with it’s numerical limits is dumb.
In this case, there was damage and injury. That’s serious stuff.
In this case, there’s restitution due to all the victims.
The case is probably open and shut. Drinking and accident with personal injury and property damage.
Should throw the book at him … …
… … but not because it was within a 1k feet of a school?
There are hospital bills and emergency services expense that need restitution.
So, “We, The Sheeple” need to be protected from this menace, but it would be interesting to see what really happens.
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