Harrison High School may be hiring another football coach after their most recent appointment, Thomas Ferriero, 50, was arrested. According to police, Ferriero was behind the wheel of a town-owned van that he was not authorized to drive, when he struck a pair of parked cars.
He proceeded to make a U-turn across Hamilton Street and then veered left onto Kingsland Avenue, where he struck a third parked car, in front of the high school where he was scheduled to begin working August 15. Then he crossed over the roadway and hit a fourth, and final, parked car.
Police arriving on the scene found Ferriero slurring and unsteady. He told them he’d had three beers, although his blood alcohol level later tested at .11%, well over the state’s .08% threshold. He faces multiple charges, including DWI, DWI in a school zone, reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, failure to show a license, and leaving the scene of an accident, with additional charges expected.
Needless to say, his legal situation appears dire, but that’s not the worst of it for Ferriero. He’s been suspended without pay after the DWI charges while the Harrison Board of Education considers its options, which may include termination.
Teachers, coaches, and others in the public sector are held to a different standard, rightly or wrongly. Employers like a public school have to consider the reputation of their personnel as they weigh who will best function as role models for the children they educate, and a very public DWI on school property is a quick way to find yourself not only facing significant legal penalties, but also searching for a new career after driving drunk in NJ.
There are defenses in every DWI case, and working with a solid lawyer can go a long way towards getting the best outcome, even in a difficult case. Matthew Reisig has helped more than 1,040 New Jersey drivers avoid conviction on DWI and related charges. Call 732-625-9660 today for a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey DWI defense lawyer.
