South Jersey Officer In Moriarty’s DUI Arrest Suspended

A Washington Township police officer is suspended after a judge filed a complaint alleging the officer filed false reports and harassed a state assemblyman during a traffic stop.

Washington Township Officer Joseph DiBuonaventura pulled over Assemblyman Paul Moriarty in July and charged him with driving drunk after the politician refused to take a Breathalyzer test.

Moriarty said he had nothing to drink and the officer had something against him.

The lawmaker last month filed a 27-count complaint against the officer. A grand jury is to consider 13 charges after a judge dismissed 14 of them.

The Courier-Post reports the officer was suspended with pay on Oct. 22, one day after the charges were filed against him.

Moriarty refused to take a breathalyzer test during his arrest and has denied drinking any alcohol. Refusing a breathalyzer in New Jersey carries some of the same penalties as DUI. The Democrat claims DiBuonaventura has an unknown issue with him and targeted him for the arrest.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.