Cops: Drunk 14-Year-Old Drove, Had Gun

A 14-year old male was arrested on Madison Street in Hackettstown Sunday after police found an unloaded shotgun and open alcohol containers in the vehicle he was driving, Hackettstown Police Det. Darren Tynan said.

The juvenile, whose name is being withheld due to his age, was pulled over after police saw a large pipe-like object hanging out the passenger side of the vehicle he was driving, Tynan said.

The driver identified himself as 19-year-old Timothy Pruden of Great Meadows, Tynan said. The officer detected the smell of alcohol on the driver, Tynan said, and had him attempt field sobriety tests. The driver was unable to complete them, and was taken to police headquarters.

While at police headquarters, the juvenile admitted to police that he was not Pruden, but was given his identification and the keys to his vehicle so he could take home another juvenile, Tynan said.

The juvenile had a shotgun shell in his pocket, and an unloaded shotgun in the vehicle, in addition to open alcohol containers, Tynan said.

Pruden was charged with allowing a driver to operate his vehicle under the influence and lending his identification to an unlicensed driver.

The juvenile was charged with charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated underage, unlicensed driver, open container in a motor vehicle, careless driving, reckless driving and possession of a shotgun without a firearms purchaser’s identification card. He was released to a family member pending a court appearance.

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