Driver Charged With DWI, in Fair Condition After Hitting Car, Utility Pole Near Great Creek Road

A Galloway man who was charged with driving while intoxicated was taken to the hospital this morning after he hit another car and knocked over a utility pole in the area of Great Creek Road and Mattix Run earlier this morning, said.

James Sopuch, 26, was traveling eastbound in a Chevy Blazer at an apparent high rate of speed at 1:52 this morning when he hit a Saturn, also traveling eastbound, police said. Sopuch lost control of his car, hit a utility pole, and landed his car landed on its side, police said.

Sopuch was trapped and sustained what appeared to be minor injuries, police said. He was extricated from his car by Bayview Volunteer Fire Company and transported to City Campus by Galloway Township Ambulance and AtlantiCare Paramedica, police said.

He was in fair condition late Thursday morning, an AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center representative said.

Sopuch was also charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane and failure to wear a seatbelt.

Steven Senecal was driving the Saturn, and was accompanied by a passenger, Julianna Monfredo, both of Galloway, and both uninjured, police said.

Atlantic City Electric was called to the scene because of the broken utility pole and wires down, police said. The road was closed for two hours, police said.