Feel bad for the guy. Made a mistake. Will he be forgiven as we have all made errors in judgement.

I do not know the facts of this case, but I pray for anyone who is arrested with a DUI. Sometimes a few minutes of really terrible judgement on the part of the driver can cause incredible damage to the reputation of someone who has spent a lifetime of service and good works. But the other side of the equation is that drinking and driving do not mix well at all. Horrible, life changing accidents often result from one person's bad judgement. I just wish we would prosecute all of the distracted cell phone talkers & texters out there to the same extent. Surely, their carelessness has caused many horrible, life changing accidents as well, but the law does not treat them the same way.

25 years ago, I was a member of an organization called Angel Flight, flying voluntary medical support missions in aid of people needing medical treatment and toward facilitating organ donations. Late one night, I received a received a request to fly to Buffalo and return a pair of donated kidneys to our area, accepted the assigment and left my home (in the Gregory section) by car, heading to the Essex County Airport where my plane was kept.

It was after 2:00 AM and, traveling north on Gergory Avenue, I came to full stop at what was a red light at the intersection with Mt. Pleasant.There was absolutely no traffic heading in either direction and, having visually cleared myself, I drove through the light, making a left hand turn towards Prospect Avenue and then made a right turn, heading towards Route 280.

Adjacent to Essex Green, I saw flashing lights in my mirror and was pulled over by a WOPD patrol car.

Long story short is that despite the late hour, the lack of any traffic and that I had come to a full stop, I received a summons for going through the red light; the officer having seen what I'd done from a vantage point parked on Highland Place.

I contested the summons sans attorney but, armed with the appropriate documentation to support what I was doing and why, I appeared in Municipal Court before then Judge Cassini a few weeks later and the charge was dismissed.

Let's give Mr. Cirilo his due process; this is a traffic violation and not a "crime" in NJ.

Gary Englert
2:32 pm on Tuesday, November 13, 2012
There's surely a level of hypocrisy when calling for "accountability" from behind the anonymity of a screen name!

Yes, it's what I fought to protect. They're called "rights" Gary. I have the right to have that choice. Hypocrisy? I don't think so.

Gary,

I have a few that are a bit more distinguished. Lets not relive old glory days. I don't need a medal to prove that I have a good heart and served proudly. As some others do.
That said, I hope that our council president gets his fair day in court.
I think you got a little off course, as a pilot with this whole thing. (No pun intended)

Someone who is drunk and knowingly gets behind the wheel of a car is committing a crime. There should be no place for criminals on the Town Council, much less someone with the esteemed title of Council President. Someone is this position should not be making the kind of mistakes that put people’s lives at risk. If they do they need to pay the consequences. Seems the town leaders are falling fast and furiously of late. (I’m assuming since he refused the breathalyzer test his guilt was apparent.) If the man has any dignity, he will resign. If the mayor has any guts, he will ask for his resignation. Period.

What is the justification for cancelling the Town Council meeting because of the charges against Cirilo?

Mr. Cirilo will likely be forgoing his re-election in 2014 as well as any other ambissions for public office he might have...you reap what you sow.

I'm sure it was a "Medical Condition" that caused his erratic driving and inability to pass the sobriety test as well as his "right" to refuse a breathalizer.....yada yada yada
It wouldn't be so easy to "forgive and forget" if someone got injured or worse. Mistake as someone previously suggested...I dont hink so.

I had a friend who was killed by a drunk driver along with her 7 year old daughter because the driver made a "little mistake". No excuse no matter who it is. No drinking and driving it's the law. Good for that police officer. No one else should be killed for someone's "little mistake".

No Proof. Being charged is automatic when declining. Also, there is a case out there now where the guy proved he wasn't drinking and the cop went over the line...

"He was administered a field sobriety test, Huber said, but refused to take a blood alcohol test and was arrested" Can anyone defending him give me a good reason why somebody would refuse to take the test?

There is a very simple solution to this issue. I think that the Town Council should make a decision on this. Isn't there a code of conduct that the coucil members should uphold. Shouldn't Mr. Cirilo be releaved from being the Town Council president at least until his court date. I think the Town Council should make the decision and show the residents and taxpayers, whom they represent, that they are at least capable of making a good judgement call. We will then evaluate the other members of the council and determine if they should be re-elected. Thanks.

You should always refuse to take the field sobriety test as well as a breathalyzer test (BOC) if you believe that you have drank to much and are above the legal limit of .08.

If you don't refuse, your giving the state more evidence to prosecute you.

If you refuse the BOC test, it is mandatory that you lose your license. However, the state may lose the case against you of DWI/DUI. Your insurance company can't raise your rate for losing your license because of a refusal, but your insurance company will bury you if your convicted of DWI/DUI.

Regarding anyone accused of a crime, there is a presumption of innocence. The RULE is the accused is "Innocent until proven guilty." Why do some people think "where there's smoke there must be fire "? Or " He must have done something to be charged " Or they take the most biased point of view "If he refused to fully cooperate, and if he refused the field sobriety test, he MUST be guilty " My late brother - in - law was a Newark Police Lieutenant .Then Police Director Joseph Santiago appeared on national t.v. one night waving 3 badges and pointing to pictures of my brother - in - law and 2 other officers . Santiago was screaming " Look at these cops. These are corrupt officers who are going to jail !" Santiago had tried to set my brother - in -law up by assigning him to another precinct and planting a " confiscated" antique pistol that my brother- in - law was required to sign for The Star - Ledger reported that Santiago threatened other officers with reprisals if they testified on behalf of my brother - in - law or the other officers. My brother- in - law got his day in court and was found completely innocent of any wrongdoing. When the now fully exonerated Lieutenant applied for his retirement benefits, the undoubtedly very frustrated Santiago tried to deny him his pension. Of course, he got it. But look what he my sister and their respective families were put through. Again - the accused is Innocent until proven guilty. P.S. I have never met Mr. Cirilo.

I truly cannot believe that Mr. Englert is going to such length to defend this drunk driver. Your assumption that most people don't understand the chemistry involved in a DUI test is laughable. Only someone who is acutely aware of the differences generally refuse the test. This man put everyone's life in danger, including yours. I think you truly don't appreciate the "moral turpitude and public trust" that has been violated here. If this doesn't violate your idea of community morals and standards, what does? If he wasn't drunk, he would have taken the test and gone on his merry way. Lets keep the discussion simple. A blood test never lies.

I agree with Englert. Some letters regarding accused teacher Erica Depalo's guilt or innocence mentioned her "flirtatious manner, immature behavior, overt sexual comments, tight skirts, and stiletto heels". Also mentioned in several letters were longstanding rumors and innuendo regarding her { inappropriate } relationships with underage students. AGAIN, salacious comments and unsubstantiated skuttlebutt are meaningless. She is innocent until proven guilty, PERIOD. My wife and I were illegally removed from our first business location by a sham sale orchestrated by our landlord and our attorney. We had refused to be coerced into purchasing the building for $60,000, so our landlord claimed he "sold" it to his son for $80,000. TEN YEARS later we got our day in court and WON. Ten times we were taken to court by landlords for everything imaginable - non - payment of rent, breaking the terms of our lease,not providing proper notification that we had renewed our lease, etc. On one occasion , the landlord told the Judge that the second floor we rented was in imminent danger of collapse because of excessive weight. He begged the judge to evict us that second. We WON every case. Sooooo, our locks were glued twice, our largest sign was stolen under cover of darkness, our equipment was vandalized, etc. etc. Victor Cirilo is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. To quote Gary Englert - " Period"

Alice in Wonderland - " No,no !" said the Queen. " Sentence first -- verdict afterwards"