Drug Charges Served to Alleged Asleep Driver

The woman who crashed her car on Route 94 Thursday after police believed she fell asleep at the wheel was served with drug charges Friday as Sparta police continue their investigation of the crash.

Renae K. Cianci, 24, of Highland Lakes, was charged with possession of 50 grams or less of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, including two small plastic bags and a broken, multi-colored ceramic smoking pipe.

According to Sparta Police Sgt. John-Paul Beebe, Cianci was allegedly asleep at the wheel Thursday afternoon when she crossed over the double-yellow lines on Route 94 and collided with a tank trailer that was loaded with wastewater from the Sussex County Municipal Authority. The driver of the truck, 42-year-old Jonathan Morris, of Wantage, was able to avoid a head-on collision with Cianci’s car and is not facing any charges as a result of the crash, Beebe said.

Route 94 was closed for nearly three hours while police investigated the crash.

Beebe said the closure “created havoc with school dismissal and rush hour traffic throughout the town.”

For questions on this report, email ariana.cohn-sheehan@patch.com