Elmwood Park officer injured, drunk driver charged in crash at DWI checkpoint

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: A police officer sustained minor injuries after a drunk driver crashed his vehicle into a DWI checkpoint trailer on Route 46 in Elmwood Park before dawn this morning.

Photo Credit: *Cliffview Pilot File Photo*

Jerry DeMarco

07/20/2014 3:11 p.m.

Elmwood Park Police Officer Christopher Finn was in his patrol vehicle during a breakdown of the checkpoint just after 4 a.m. when it was struck by a car driven by 23-year-old John J. McCarthy of Elmwood Park, Bergen County Police Chief Brian Higgins told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.

Finn was taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson with what Higgins said appeared to be minor injuries.

McCarthy, who sources said registered .15 blood-alcohol content on a breath test, was charged with assault by auto.

He also received summonses for DWI, failing to obey a traffic control device, failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, reckless driving and careless driving.

He was released pending a court hearing.

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