Fair Lawn police: Drunk driver swapped seats with drunk passenger after fleeing crash

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: A drunk driver switched places with his passenger after leaving the scene of accident — only there was one problem: He was drunk, too, Fair Lawn police said.

Photo Credit: *Cliffview Pilot File Photo*

Jerry DeMarco

08/20/2013 10:53 p.m.

So both ended up being charged.

Officers Stephen Buskiewicz, Luke Hintzen and Chris O’Shaughnessy found the car on Morlot Avenue and Plaza Road, a short distance from the single-vehicle crash on nearby Route 208.

Buskiewicz “discovered through questioning that the driver and passenger had switched places after the crash,” Sgt. Brian Metzler said.

So the officers gave both roadside sobriety tests.

Both failed, Metzler said.

Franklyn Bardecker, 23, of Edison was charged with DWI, leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving. His passenger, 35-year-old Lazaro Perez, was charged with DWI and leaving the scene of an accident.

Both were released pending Municipal Court hearings following the Aug. 11 arrests.

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