State v. Stas

The Court considers the appeal of defendant Manaf Stas, who was convicted of allowing an intoxicated person to operate a vehicle, over which he had custody and control, in violation of N.J.S.A. 39:4-50(a). Defendant and another individual, Joseph Putz, were involved in an automobile accident in a minivan owned by defendant’s sister, minutes after leaving a bar where both had been drinking. After police arrived on the scene, Putz told the investigating police officer that he had been driving the vehicle at *41the time of the accident. After failing field sobriety tests, Putz was arrested and…