Intoxicated Driver Crashes Into Officer Head-On, Passenger Seriously Injured In NJ: Police

A 57-year-old Butler resident was driving while intoxicated when he drove head-on into a police car in Morris County on Friday, July 26, sending the officer and his own passenger to the hospital, authorities said.

While Butler police were conducting speed enforcement, Charles Dampman was driving a black Ford Explorer when he entered the opposite lane of travel on Bartholdi Avenue and struck police officer Justin Brunda's parked vehicle head-on at a high rate of speed, officers said.

Brunda was transported to a local hospital where he was later released, police said. Dampman's passenger was seriously injured and was taken to a nearby hospital, police said.

A police officer observed Dampman get out of the driver side of the vehicle and he was apprehended, officers said. Dampman was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, aggravated assault causing bodily injury, aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, assault by auto, assault by auto causing serious bodily injury and endangering another person, police said.

Dampman was also issued several motor vehicle summonses including for driving while intoxicated. He was lodged at the Morris County Jail, police sad.