Drunken Driver Denies Crashing Into Snowbank, Police Say

A Hopatcong man was more than twice the legal limit and tried to deny driving his vehicle into a snowbank last week on Brooklyn Mountain Road, police said.

Gerard Mascellino, 31, was charged with DWI, reckless driving, failure to keep right, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle.

According to Lt. Thomas Kmetz, an officer spotted a vehicle on top of a snowbank on Brooklyn Mountain Road at about 12:25 a.m. on March 6. The officer had just driven down the road and the vehicle wasn't there moments earlier, Kmetz said.

The officer saw Mascellino walking in the area and he denied driving the vehicle, Kmetz said. When another officer was about to run the car's registration, Mascellino admitted to driving it, Kmetz said.

An officer detected Mascellino had been drinking and he failed a field sobriety test, Kmetz said. Mascellino was also found in possession of a Ziploc bag containing marijuana and a wooden smoking pipe, Kmetz said.

Mascellino was transported to police headquarters where he was given an Alcotest and was recorded at more than twice the legal limit, Kmetz said.

Mascellino was charged and released to a family member.