PARSIPPANY – On the afternoon of September 19, 2024, officers from the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department responded to the scene of a motor vehicle accident involving a black Mazda CX-3 on Cherry Hill Road, where the vehicle had veered off the roadway and collided with a utility pole. The driver, later identified as Patrick J. Sarnowski, 48, of Sparta, was arrested at the scene for driving under the influence of drugs.
Upon arrival at 205 Cherry Hill Road, Parsippany-Hills Police Sgt. Conklin and Officer William Stone observed Sarnowski’s vehicle off the roadway, its driver-side airbag deployed. Emergency medical personnel were already on the scene, attending to Sarnowski, who was conscious and alert but displayed signs of impairment. According to the police report, Sarnowski stated that an unidentified third vehicle had entered his lane, causing him to swerve off the road and crash into the pole.
However, while speaking with Sarnowski, Sgt. Conklin noted that the driver’s pupils were significantly dilated and he appeared to be sweating excessively despite the cool weather. These observations, combined with Sarnowski’s erratic explanation of the incident, led Sgt. Conklin to conduct field sobriety tests at the scene.
Sarnowski failed multiple field sobriety tests, including the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus test, the Walk and Turn test, and the One Leg Stand test. Due to his inability to perform these tasks, Sgt. Conklin placed Sarnowski under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and transported him to police headquarters for further testing.
At police headquarters, Patrolman Daniel Ross, a certified Drug Recognition Expert (DRE), conducted a thorough evaluation. Despite a 0.00% reading on the Alcotest breathalyzer, Ross’s evaluation confirmed that Sarnowski was under the influence of a controlled substance. Blood and urine samples were collected with Sarnowski’s consent and submitted for testing.
In addition to driving under the influence, Sarnowski was issued multiple summonses:
- DUI – Operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs (39:4-50)
- Operating an unregistered vehicle (39:3-4)
- Operating a vehicle without insurance (39:6B-2)
- Reckless driving (39:4-96)
Sarnowski was processed and later transported to Morristown Medical Center, where medical personnel drew blood samples under police supervision. The investigation remains ongoing, pending the results of toxicology reports.
Editors Note: The court’s rules require us to include a statement that states: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and/or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.
