A memorial for a fallen New Jersey trooper suffered "significant" damage after a man allegedly driving under the influence plowed into the roadside remembrance.
New Jersey State Police said the 38-year-old driver crashed into a memorial constructed for Trooper Thomas Hanratty on Aug. 31, around 2 p.m. on Interstate 78 in Summit. When officers responded, police said they found firefighters already on scene providing first-aid to the man.
The Berkeley Heights man was treated at a nearby hospital and then placed under arrest for charges of driving under the influence, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and being criminally under the influence.
"The crash caused significant damage to the Trooper Hanratty memorial, a solemn reminder of the daily dangers our troopers face while serving and protecting the public," the NJSP said in a Facebook post on Sunday.
Hanratty, according to police, was struck and killed at the site of the memorial (milepost 46.8) on April 2, 1992. The trooper had been conducting a traffic stop when he was fatally struck.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
"This incident underscores the importance of safe and sober driving on our roadways," the post concluded.
