JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — A 22-year-old Jefferson Township police officer was charged with driving while intoxicated after her vehicle left Route 181, struck a utility pole and overturned on Sunday, September 27, according to a police report.
Sergeant Robert Coyle arrested Grace J. Beebe of Sparta following the crash, which was reported at 7:13 p.m. The arrest report lists Beebe’s occupation as police officer and her employer as Jefferson Township.
Beebe began her career in law enforcement as a Class II Special Law Enforcement Officer with the Seaside Heights Police Department. She was inspired to pursue the profession by her father, a retired Sparta police officer.
According to the report, Beebe was driving a 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee north on Route 181 when the vehicle drifted to the right and left the roadway. It traveled over an elevated patch of grass, struck a rock and then a utility pole before rolling onto its roof and coming to rest across the northbound lane.
The police paperwork describes the crash location in several different ways. The incident report lists the location as 57 Route 181, the address of Charley’s Tavern. Sergeant Coyle’s narrative states the vehicle left the roadway near 30 Route 181. The New Jersey Police Crash Investigation Report places the crash on Route 181 near Collins Avenue, with the vehicle coming to rest near 32 Route 181.
A passing motorist stopped, reported the crash and helped Beebe out of the vehicle. Jefferson Township Fire Department Company 2, the Jefferson Township Rescue Squad and police responded. Beebe was evaluated in the ambulance, denied any injuries and refused medical attention.
Sergeant Coyle reported detecting a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage inside the ambulance and noted that Beebe’s eyes were watery and her face was flushed. He administered standardized field sobriety tests at the scene, after which Beebe was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters.
At headquarters, Beebe consented to breath testing and provided two samples, with a final reading of 0.169 percent blood alcohol content, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
The vehicle was towed from the scene by SARS Towing.
Beebe was issued the following summonses:
- Driving While Intoxicated (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50)
- Reckless Driving (N.J.S.A. 39:4-96)
She was released to a family member.
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.
Copyright 2026 Zoomus Marketing, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission from the publisher.
