JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — A Lake Hopatcong man was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated following a two-car crash at the intersection of Berkshire Valley Road and Minnisink Road on the evening of April 27, 2026, according to the Jefferson Township Police Department.
Jefferson Township Police Officer Liam Shernce and Jefferson Township Police Officer Dean Gonnella responded to the scene where they found two vehicles — a blue 2013 Chevrolet station wagon and a black 2017 Kia sedan that had collided at the intersection.
According to the report, Richard D. Terpstra Jr., 58, Lake Hopatcong, was traveling west on Berkshire Valley Road and attempted to turn into the wildlife area when he cut off the Kia, which was traveling east. The driver of the Kia, Ian Scott, 37, of Franklin, and his passenger, Kaleigh Boshart, 36, also of Franklin, were evaluated at the scene. Their airbags had deployed. Both refused further medical attention.
Officers observed multiple signs of intoxication in Terpstra, including a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, slurred speech, slow and fumbling hand movements, and glossy eyes. He was also leaning against his vehicle for support. When asked what he had purchased at Shoprite in Wharton — his stated destination — Terpstra said dog food, though no dog food was found in the vehicle.
When asked to count backwards from 90 to 70, Terpstra responded: “90, 89, 87, 88, 87, 86, 85, 84, 83, 82, 81, 81, keep going, 80, 79, 78, 77, 76, 75, 74, 73, 72, 71.”
Officers attempted to administer field sobriety tests, but Terpstra declined to perform the walk-and-turn and one-leg-stand tests. He was placed under arrest and transported to Jefferson Township Police Headquarters, where he refused to provide breath samples for the Alcotest 9510. The refusal was recorded and submitted per N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.2(e).
Terpstra was issued summonses for Driving While Intoxicated (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50), Reckless Driving (N.J.S.A. 39:4-96), and Refusal to Submit to Chemical Test (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.4A), with a mandatory court appearance at Jefferson Township Municipal Court.
Editor’s Note: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and/or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
