Around 10:57 PM on July 1, 2023, Officer John Roseler with the Metuchen Police Department first responded to the scene of a motor vehicle collision involving a black 2006 BMW 330i and black 2020 Toyota Corolla on Lake Avenue near the parking lot of Wood Stack Pizza + Kitchen (259 Lake Avenue). He exited his patrol car and made contact with the driver of the Corolla nd her passenger. They told them that the driver of the BMW struck their vehicle in the rear passenger quarter panel, and there was damage indicative of that. He then made contact wit hteh driver of the BMW, who was identified as Natalia Spitaleri. As he was speaking with Natalia, he detected the odor of alcohol and observed other indicators of impairment. Officers Joseph Licata and Bryan Mulligan later arrived on scene to assist. Natalia told Officer Mulligan she was coming from Wood Stack Pizza, but initially denied consuming any alcohol. Officer Mulligan went inside to speak with the restaurant staff so he could see her transaction history. She later refused to comment on whether or not she had anything to drink, but the officers already knew that she had issues with alcohol abuse. Natalia was asked to perform field sobriety exercises, and she eventually agreed to do so after speaking with her attorney. Natalia’s poor performance on the field sobriety exercises confirmed the officers’ suspicion of impairment. Based on the motor vehicle crash, the odor of alcohol, and her inability to satisfactorily complete the field sobriety exercises, Officer Licata placed Natalia under arrest for driving under the influence. Her vehicle was impounded for a mandatory 12-hour hold under John’s Law. Natalia was initially transported to the Highland Park Police Department for the administration of the breath test. At the Highland Park Police Department, Natalia was read the Standard Statement for Motor Vehicle Operators, and she agreed to submit breath samples. Her Alcotest results indicated a BAC level of 0.29%, which was more than triple the legal limit of 0.08%. After the breath test was finished, Natalia was then transported back to the Metuchen Police Department for further processing. She was given a ride back home and released to Anthony Spitaleri pending her court appearance after he signed the Potential Liability Warning form on Natalia’s behalf. Officer Licata issued Natalia the following traffic citations: -Operating under the influence (39:4-50) -Reckless driving (39:4-96) -Careless driving (39:4-97) On March 21, 2025, Natalia pleaded guilty to operating under the influence, while the other 2 citations were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. As a result of her guilty plea, Natalia had to use an ignition interlock device for 12 months and spend 48 hours at an intoxicated driver resource center. Natalia also had to pay a total of $1,390 in fines. ---------------------------------------------- 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.

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