Officers jumped into action to save a woman from overdosing after she was stopped at a DWI checkpoint in Monmouth County, New Jersey.
Police said the woman had pulled into the checkpoint the evening of Friday, May 31in the Asbury Park Circle in Ocean Township.
The woman had been speaking with an officer when she suddenly became disoriented. Shortly after, police said she became unconscious behind the wheel of her vehicle, which was still in gear.
Police said additional officers came over to assist and were able to get the vehicle into park and pull the unconscious woman out of the car.
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Officers administered three separate Narcan deployments before the woman regained consciousness, according to police. The woman was transported to the hospital where she was treated and released.
Police said the checkpoint was shut down for approximately 30 minutes while officers dealt with the medical emergency.
“This weekend’s DWI check acted as a safety net for not only this driver, but other residents and motorists who may have been in the vicinity at the time of the medical emergency,” Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago stated in a news release. “I shudder to think of what may have happened if this driver wasn’t stopped at this checkpoint and continued driving down the road when the emergency took place. I’d like to thank our officers and medical personnel, whose quick actions saved a life and prevented what could have been a much worse outcome for everyone involved.”
Summonses for the driver are pending an ongoing investigation, according to police.
“I think this incident shows just how important these checkpoints are,” Allenhurst Police Chief and Monmouth County DWI Task Force Coordinator Michael Schneider commented. “It’s extremely likely that pulling into this checkpoint saved this woman’s life. We have an extremely successful program in Monmouth County, and I think this puts an exclamation point on just how important these checkpoints are in keeping our roads safe.”
Police said the checkpoint contacted 686 vehicles that evening, with nine summonses issued and one arrest.
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