One Drunk Driving Crash Leads To Another With Two Drivers Arrested and A State Police Cruiser Damaged

On December 19, 2021, at around 4:08 a.m., State Police from the Haverstraw barracks responded to the Palisades Parkway near exit 16 south for a single-vehicle crash. When Troopers arrived, they saw a 2011 Toyota Camry in the eastern median with a rear driver side flat tire and damage to the passenger side. The male driver, later identified Martin Mbamalu, age 27 from Bronx, NY, was standing outside the vehicle and showed signs of being impaired by alcohol while speaking to troopers.

While troopers were interviewing Mbamalu, a white vehicle struck the side of the state police vehicle and kept traveling south. The troopers and Mbamalu were not injured.

Shortly after that crash, Troopers located a 2009 Nissan Versa broken down near exit 15 with front end damage and the airbags deployed. The operator, later identified as Rafael Nunez, age 35 from Bronx, NY, was still in the vehicle. Troopers immediately offered medical assistance which Nunez declined. It was determined that Nunez was impaired by alcohol and he was arrested.

A further investigation determined Nunez was driving with a suspended New York driver’s license. He had a blood alcohol concentration (B.A.C). of .18%. Nunez was charged Aggravated DWI, Criminal Mischief, Reckless Driving, all misdemeanors, and with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation Impaired by Alcohol, a felony. He was issued an appearance ticket and vehicle and traffic law tickets returnable to the town of Stony Point Court on January 27, 2022 at 1:30 p.m.

Martin Mbamalu, the driver in the first crash, was also charged with DWI and issued an appearance ticket returnable to the town of Stony Point Court on January 27, 2021 at 1:30 p.m.