Around 11:31 PM on July 10, 2026, Patrolman Nicholas Massaro with the Middletown Township Police Department observed a black 2024 Honda Passport attempt to drive right past a DWI checkpoint at 75 State Route 35. He instructed the driver to stop the vehicle, and she complied. He then made contact with the driver of the vehicle, who was identified as Megan Perez. When she was later instructed to pull over, she nearly struck the curb. As he started speaking with Megan, Patrolman Massaro detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Megan said she was coming from Red Rock, which is a bar in Red Bank. When he asked her how much she had to drink, she admitted to consuming a glass of wine. Based on his suspicion of impairment, Megan was eventually asked to exit the vehicle and perform field sobriety exercises. The first exercise was the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. During the HGN test, Patrolman Massaro observed the lack of smooth pursuit and distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation. The second exercise was the Walk and Turn test. During the Walk and Turn test, Megan did not touch heel-to-toe on each step and turned improperly. The final exercise was the One Leg Stand test, and Megan was unable to raise her foot in the proper fashion and put her foot down before the test was complete. Based on the odor of alcohol, her admission to consuming an alcoholic beverage earlier that evening, and her inability to complete the field sobriety exercises, Patrolman Massaro placed Megan under arrest for driving under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded for a 12-hour hold according to John’s Law. Megan eventually agreed to submit breath samples, and she was transported to the Middletown Township Police Department for the administration of the breath test. Her Alcotest results indicated a BAC level of 0.047% between 1:26 AM and 1:32 AM. After the officers finished processing her, Megan was released to a sober adult pending her court appearance after they signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Megan’s behalf. Patrolman Massaro issued Megan the following citations: -Operating under the influence (39:4-50) -Reckless driving (39:4-96) -Careless driving (39:4-97) As of September 30, 2026, this case is still pending before the Middletown Township Municipal Court. ---------------------------------------------- Please LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and consider supporting this channel (email us for more information). Our content is shared for educational and news gathering purposes. We are in compliance with YouTube's Fair Use Policy because we edit several long clips into a concise story. This is similar to other law enforcement channels on YouTube. All videos and case documents were obtained pursuant to the New Jersey Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1 et seq. (P.L. 2024, c.16). Defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty. The New Jersey Supreme Court has previously affirmed in Salzano v. North Jersey Media Group, 993 A.2d 778 (2010) that “The fair-report privilege reflects the judgment that the need, in a self-governing society, for free-flowing information about matters of public interest outweighs concerns over the uncompensated injury to a person's reputation.” This video advances a compelling public interest. The summary of events was based on records that are “open to public view through open access to public records” as defined in the Salzano case. In Ramos v. Flowers, 429 N.J. Super. 13, the Appellate Division of the Superior Court has also affirmed the right to film law enforcement interactions.

Megan Perez Megan Perez DWI DUI OVI OWI DWI arrest arrested for DWI arrested for DUI DUI arrest Middletown Township Middletown Red Bank Hazlet Township Hazlet Holmdel Union Beach Sea Bright Monmouth County Middletown Township Police Department Middletown Police DWI checkpoint DUI checkpoint girl arrested woman arrested Lexus Central Jersey drunken driver Jersey Shore NJ New Jersey Red Rock Red Rock bar