HAMILTON, N.J. (1010 WINS) — A New Jersey police chief is facing charges after allegedly crashing his car while driving drunk last Friday, fleeing the scene and failing to report the incident to authorities.
Bordertown Police Chief Brian Pesce was driving a maroon pickup truck when he was involved in an accident at the intersection of Terrapin Lane and Bruin Drive in Hamilton Township, around 10:25 p.m.
The 23-year police veteran is charged with five traffic offenses, including reckless and careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage, drunk driving and failing to report an accident.
Michael Theokas, Bordentown Township’s administrator, told NJ.com Pesce that he has since been placed on "restricted duty until further notice pending the investigation results."
The Trentonian reports it remains unclear who authorities knew Pesce was under the influence at the time. John Hartmann, his attorney, claimed in text message that his client "wasn’t arrested" and is "presumed innocent" of the charges.
Pesce became police chief in 2018 after federal officials levied federal hate crime charges against his predecessor, Frank Nucera.
Nucera is scheduled to start serving a 28-month prison sentence this week.
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