NEWARK — A 49-year-old man who allegedly shot himself in the leg while driving ended up being charged with multiple drug and weapons offenses Saturday.

Investigators believe Darron Shivers of Newark shot himself just after exiting the interchange 14 toll plaza of the New Jersey Turnpike, according to a statement from the New Jersey State Police. Newark detectives initially spoke to Shivers while he was being treated at University Hospital for the gunshot wound. Police were then joined in the investigation by units from the New Jersey State Homicide North Unit and Newark Police Department Major Crime Unit.

Authorities say that during the course of an investigation, members of the NJ State Police Homicide North Unit, Troop “D” Criminal Investigations Office, Crime Scene Investigations Unit, Homicide North Forensic Squad and K-9 North Units conducted a search of Shivers' home in Newark. Police subsequently seized several weapons including a semi-automatic handgun, a revolver, a black powder handgun, two shotguns and several boxes of ammunition.

While searching the residence, NJ state troopers also found 5.5 pounds of marijuana, and packaging material as well as small amounts of cocaine and heroin, police said.

As a result of the investigation, state police charged Shivers with the following drug offenses: maintaining a Controlled Dangerous Substance production facility, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute within 500 feet of a public park, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute within a 1,000 feet of a school zone and multiple counts of possession of narcotic paraphernalia. 

Shivers was also charged with possession of a weapon during a CDS offense, multiple counts of unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, certain persons not to have a weapon, receiving stolen property and possession of a sawed-off shotgun, police said in a statement.

Police say Shivers was transported to Essex County Jail in lieu of $500,000 full bail. The case will be prosecuted by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

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