Police: Husband Loses Cool After Wife Charged With DWI

A Hopatcong couple was arrested early Sunday after the woman failed a field sobriety test and her husband confronted officers when his wife was placed under arrest, police said.

Hopatcong resident Stacey Tallaksen, 30, was driving along Maxim Road about about 1:15 a.m. with her husband as a passenger when Officer Thomas Snyder  spotted her car crossing the white fog line and nearly striking a guard rail, according to Lt. Thomas Kmetz.

After he stopped the vehicle, Tallaksen reported that she was coming from Castaways Bar, where she picked up her husband who had been drinking, according to the police report.  

Kmetz said Tallaksen had also been drinking alcohol and failed field sobriety tests. She was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to keep right and later released to a family member.

As she was being tested at the scene, her spouse Eric Tallaksen, also 30, exited the car and confronted Snyder, the report continued. The man was ordered to get back into the vehicle, but he refused and became belligerent, police said. The patrol officer called for backup, and Officer Christopher Lotito and Sgt. Michael O'Shea soon arrived.  

According to Kmetz, Eric Tallaksen moved toward Snyder, who was in the process of arresting Stacey Tallaksen.  Officers advised the man "multiple times" to get back in the car or he would be arrested, Kmetz said. Tallaksen moved toward his wife and O'Shea grabbed the man to place him under arrest.

Eric Tallaksen allegedly pulled away and refused to be handcuff, leading to a struggle on the ground that left Lotito with a torn ligament in his finger, Kmetz said. The officers finally were able to secure the handcuffs on him, the report continued, but he still refused to get into a waiting patrol car. Once the police managed to get him into the vehicle, Eric Tallaksen  kicked the door and window bars. Upon arrival at police headquarters, the lieutenant said the man refused to leave the car and had to be removed by the officers. 

"His wife, who was very cooperative, even tried to calm him down," Kmetz said, noting that Eric Tallaksen shouted at officers throughout.  

The man now faces charges of disorderly conduct, obstruction, resisting arrest and aggravated assault on a police officer. He was later released, police said.