N.J. Judge Censured for DWI Penny Ploy

A New Jersey judge who apparently tried to thwart an alcohol breath test by using Chap Stick and putting a penny in his mouth has been censured by the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Judge Peter Tourison received a censure, rather than a less severe sanction of a reprimand, in part because of his attempts to interfere with the police investigation, the New Jersey Law Journal reports. Tourison had been taken to the police station for an alcohol test after he drove in the wrong direction, forcing one driver off the road, and then crashed into a parked SUV, according to the story. The property damage and the risk of injury were other factors leading to the censure.

Tourison later pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated.

The Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct had recommended the censure. The committee said Tourison has acknowledged a problem with alcohol and is in treatment. The committee also said Tourison has a reputation as a knowledgeable and impartial judge.