September 14, 2020

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ (MIDDLESEX)–A man was arrested shortly after 9 am Sunday morning for possession of marijuana and a large amount of Xanax following a single car crash attributed to the man driving while under the influence.

At 9:01am, Sunday, September 13^th, police dispatchers received a call about a single car crash on Route 1 southbound at Sandhill Road.

Upon arrival, Officer Gerald Sarno found that a 1999 Lexus had crashed head-on into the concrete divider at the intersection. Officer Sarno also observed the driver, identified as Daniel Saladyga, 24 years old, of Ewing, NJ, sitting on the grassy shoulder of the roadway, uninjured.

On speaking with Mr. Saladyga about the crash, Officer Sarno noted that Saladyga’s eyes were glassy with pinpoint pupils, his diction slow, and his hands fumbling. Suspecting that Saladyga was under the influence, Officer Sarno gave Saladyga several field-side sobriety tests, which Saladyga failed. Saladyga was placed under arrest for DUI, and was searched incident to arrest, at which time he was found to possess a small amount of marijuana, as well as 112 bars of Xanax.

Mr. Saladyga was transported to Police Headquarters, where Detective Tim Hoover, a certified Drug Recognition Expert, performed a series of tests on Saladyga, ultimately determining that Saladyga was under the influence of a central nervous system depressant, in keeping with Saladyga’s statement that he had ingested Xanax earlier that morning.

Saladyga was charged with Possession of CDS with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Under 50g Marijuana, Unlawful Possession of Xanax, Driving Under the Influence, Reckless Driving, and other motor vehicle offenses. Saladyga was lodged in the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending his bail hearing.

Chief Raymond J. Hayducka said, “Impaired driving can happen at any time of the day. This driver was on Route 1, impaired, and struck the concrete median at 9 am Sunday morning. Officer Sarno’s detailed investigation discovered the drugs and took this driver off the road. With thousands of cars and trucks using Route 1 daily, we are just lucky this crash wasn’t much worse.”