COURT HOUSE – Retired Superior Court Judge John R. Rauh appeared in Glassboro Municipal Court, July 27, on a charge of driving while intoxicated and two other traffic violations. The case was reassigned out of Middle Township due to a potential conflict of interest.
Rauh’s attorney, Michael Testa Sr., of Vineland, entered pleas of not guilty before Municipal Court Judge John Armano Jr. for the DWI, failure to maintain lane, and reckless driving, and received a postponement.
Rauh, 62, of Wildwood Crest, was stopped just before 7 p.m., May 6, by Middle Township Police Officer Alyssa Jones. Jones had been dispatched to Route 9 on the report of an erratic driver in a blue Honda just south of Court House South Dennis Road.
Rauh was recalled, or asked to return to duty as a judge, for a period from May 29 to Aug. 31, and was assigned on a statewide basis specifically to handle Sexually Violent Predator Act cases. According to New Jersey Courts spokeswoman MaryAnne Spoto, Rauh “did not begin his assignment so he is not on recall.”
A driver called 911, May 6, and told police they were following a car that was being driven erratically. The caller continued to follow the vehicle, updating police on its location. Officer Jones spotted the Honda near the intersection of Route 9 and Hand Avenue, according to her report, traveling south “at a high rate of speed.” Jones stopped the vehicle, which carried a Pennsylvania registration, on Route 9 in the area of Johnstown Lane.
The driver, who Jones identified as Rauh, had some difficulty figuring out how to lower the passenger side window, per Jones’ report. Rauh explained he was driving a rental and had not figured out all the features.
Jones explained she stopped Rauh because she observed him having difficulty maintaining the vehicle in its lane, and that he had even struck a curb on the right side of the road at one point.
As preliminary questions before conducting field sobriety tests, Jones asked Rauh what his highest level of education was. According to the arrest report, Rauh said he went to law school.
A LinkedIn page for Rauh describes him as a “Retired New Jersey Superior Court Judge.” According to the New Jersey Law Journal, Rauh attended the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University School of Law.
Rauh was given a series of field sobriety tests at the motor vehicle stop where he could not perform the balance and walking tests, according to Jones’ report.
Officer Christopher Russ, now on the scene, administered a horizontal gaze nystagmus test, which detects where eye movement is jerking or stuttering, which is considered a sign of alcohol impairment. According to the arrest report, Rauh was unable to keep his head still for the test and his eyes were glassy.
Rauh was placed under arrest and transported to Stone Harbor Police Department headquarters for an Alcotest because Middle Township’s machine was out of service. The report says “two valid breath samples yielded a result of 0.00% Blood Alcohol Content (BAC).”
About 15 minutes later, a patrolman asked Rauh for consent to provide blood samples. Rauh initially consented, but after being transported to Cape Regional Medical Center, he changed his mind and would no longer give consent, the arrest report said. Officers then completed an application for search warrant for bodily fluids and probable cause for a search warrant for bodily fluids was issued at 10:18 p.m.
After obtaining the blood samples, Rauh was issued summons for driving while intoxicated, failure to maintain lane, and reckless driving, and released to the custody of a friend.
According to Glassboro Municipal Court, Rauh’s next court date has not been set.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
