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Janina Wojnarowska told Superior Court Judge Patrick J. Roma that she doesn’t have a drinking problem.
The 51-year-old Polish citizen admitted drinking wine hours before she got behind the wheel of her Nissan Versa on April 2, 2012 to give her employer and the boss’ friend a ride.
“Something came up and she was afraid to say no,” defense attorney Richard Potter said. “She was afraid she would lose her job.”
Wojnarowska was driving north on Palisade Avenue when her car rear-ended a Toyota Camry stopped for a red light at Walker Street, reports show.
Hospitalized following the crash were the 52-year-old driver and 73-year-old passenger of the other car. Both are from Cliffside Park. Also injured was Wojnarowska’s 85-year-old rear-seat passenger.
In her purse police found a half-empty 750ml bottle of Aguardiente Antiqueno, an anise-flavored liqueur, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said at the time.
Cliffside Park police gave Wojnarowska summonses for driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated in a school zone, having an open alcohol container in a motor vehicle and careless driving. She was released pending a Municipal Court hearing.
However, Molinelli’s Fatal Accident Investigation Unit (FAIU) and Cliffside Park police dug deeper.
They later arrested Wojnarowska on three counts of assault by auto after determining that she “made no effort to stop and drove directly into the Toyota,” the prosecutor said.
Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Martin Delaney told Roma yesterday that Wojnarowska’s blood-alcohol level was 1.65 percent at the time of the crash, more than twice the legal limit.
“I apologize to everybody,” she said. “I promise I never do it again.”
“I believe you’re remorseful,” Roma told her. “It was unfortunate and tragic.”
In addition to probation, the judge suspended her driver’s license for seven months and required her to take a Triple AAA defensive driving course.
“There may be some benefit to you,” he said. “ I’ll make that a condition of probation.”
STORY / PHOTO: Mary K. Miraglia, CLIFFVIEW PILOT Courthouse Reporter
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