A New Jersey man accused of driving off the road with a child in his SUV will face trial.
Carlos Hinojosa, 40, of Woodbridge, New Jersey, had charges including DUI, endangering the welfare of a child, reckless endangerment, accident involving damage to an attended vehicle and driving with a suspended license held for trial during a preliminary hearing before District Judge Daniel Baranoski. Two DUI related charges against the 40 year old were dismissed, court papers say.
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Middletown Township police responded to an access road off southbound Route 1 near the 1900 block of West Old Lincoln Highway on October 19 for reports of a crash.
At the scene, the officer reportedly found Hinojosa passed out and a 10-year-old child inside his Chevrolet Equinox, which was crashed in a retention basin. The officer noted in court papers he detected the strong odor of alcoholic beverage coming from the SUV.
Hinojosa is also accused of striking an occupied vehicle in the area of southbound Route 1 and South Bellevue Avenue shortly before responding to the crash where the man and child were found, police said. Court papers show the driver of the struck vehicle followed the Equinox with a New Jersey license plate and claimed it was weaving throughout the highway.
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Police said they learned Hinojosa’s driver’s license is suspended in New Jersey. His wife said she last knew Hinojosa was in Trenton with her child, according to court papers.
Hinojosa was taken to St. Mary Medical Center for treatment. It was not stated in court papers if the boy was injured.
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Hinojosa is currently free on 10 percent of $20,000 bail.
