Drunk Driver Tried to Get On I-287 the Wrong Way, Cops Say

An intoxicated Sussex County man was arrested after police say he was seen driving down a one-way road and about to enter Interstate 287 from the wrong direction.

Zachary Wehner, 35, of Lafayette Township, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and refusal to submit to breath samples shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday.

According to a report filed by officer Joseph Heuneman, he and officer Diego Alvarado had been called to assist officer David Tissot, who had just pulled over a vehicle traveling the wrong way on the one-way section of Morris Avenue near the I-287 entrance.

Tissot reported the driver, later identified as Wehner, was about to enter the northbound ramp of the highway from the wrong direction when he pulled him over.

Wehner told Heuneman he had come from Sona Thirteen where he said, "I've had a few," according to the report. Later, during field sobriety tests, Wehner told the officer he had drank "five PBR's," according to the report.

Heuneman detected a strong smell of alcohol, according to the report. Even in the patrol car with its partition closed between the front and back seat, a strong odor was detected, he said in his report.

Wehner provided a second breath sample of the night at the police station, but the test failed, according to the report. When Heuneman told Wehner they would need to drive to Morris Township Police Headquarters for another test, Wehner refused, saying he had to get to work in the morning and, having already given two breath samples, felt he had given enough.

He was later released into the custody of a friend.

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