By: Richard L. Smith
Law enforcement officials are continuing to investigate an alleged DWI stop that landed an Essex County Officer in jail over a week ago.
In a surprising turn of events, Mr. Francisze Piwowarczyk, Deputy Chief of Irvington Township, who handles Internal Affairs complaints against officers, found himself on the other side of the law.
According to Clifton Police, on August 18, around 2:30 a.m., cops patrolling the northbound lanes noticed a vehicle on Route 21 South emitting a large amount of sparks from its undercarriage.
What initially appeared to be a vehicular issue led to a distressing discovery.
Upon conducting the motor vehicle stop, Clifton officers engaged with the driver, officially identified as Francisze Piwowarczyk, 48.
He reportedly drove the car with the front driver's side wheel missing from the vehicle.
According to a police report obtained by RLS Media, their interaction quickly revealed signs of intoxication, prompting the administration of field sobriety tests.
Officials said the tests confirmed their suspicions and the subsequent investigation indicated that Piwowarczyk had been operating the vehicle while violating 39:4-50, the code for Driving While Intoxicated.
Piwowarczyk was arrested and transported to the police headquarters, where he provided breath samples.
Subsequently, he faced charges of Driving While Intoxicated. The police reports said Piwowarczyk was later released to a friend, per John's Law, which governs the release of individuals charged with driving under the influence.
The incident took a more concerning turn as it was revealed that Piwowarczyk had been driving an Irvington Township-owned car, deemed totaled due to its conditioning from a collision.
Public Safety Director Tracey Bowers immediately suspended Piwowarczyk once he learned about the incident and the damaged vehicle was towed back to Irvington Township.
Questions arose within the Essex County community about the nature of the charges; they called them 'weak' and inadequate. Residents said other infractions should have been applied.
Piwowarczyk was officially charged with 39:4-50, Operating Under Influence of Liquor or Drugs, during the Clifton Police stop. The exact circumstances surrounding the collision that caused significant front-end damage to the vehicle were not detailed in the police report.
According to the citation, Piwowarczyk is scheduled to appear before a Passaic County Judge in a Clifton courtroom on September 26 at 1 p.m.
Public records revealed that Piwowarczyk holds the position of Internal Affairs Deputy Chief, involved in handling various community misconduct complaints lodged against Irvington Township officers.
The incident has prompted discussions about Piwowarczyk's accountability in his role at the police department.
The Honorable Irvington Township Mayor Tony Vauss could not be reached for comment regarding the matter.
Piwowarczyk is being represented by Patrick P. Toscano from Toscano Law Firm LLC of Caldwell, NJ.