SP Police Awaiting Toxicology Results on Driver Who Ran into Library

Scotch Plains police are awaiting the results of a toxicology test for the woman who ran her vehicle into the Scotch Plains Public Library on July 30.

Cari Rappaport, 31, of Victor Street in Scotch Plains, has already been charged with reckless driving, possession of narcotics and driving under the influence. She was also charged with aggravated assault for being combative with one of the rescue workers.

Lt. Brian Donnelly of the police department said that they're still waiting to see if there were other substances in Rappaport’s system at the time of the accident. It usually takes four to six weeks for the results to return. 

The accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on July 30. Donnelly said that Rappaport was driving north on Forest Road when she went through the stop sign and veered to the left off Bartle Avenue, running into the children’s department of the library. She was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

Rappaport had her first appearance in county court on Aug. 5 for the criminal charges. Donnelly said that a typical DWI offense would be heard in municipal court, but because Rappaport was charged with aggravated assault, the case is now in the hands of the county.

Unfortunately, Donnelly said DWI arrests are pretty common, particularly during the summer. Just over this past weekend alone, three people were arrested for DWI in Scotch Plains. And in Westfield last week, a Lord & Taylor employee was hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street.

No one was in the children’s department of the Scotch Plains library at the time of the accident.

“We’ve always been very aggressive about this, but sometime it spikes,” Donnelly said of DWI arrests. “In the summer you do get more, with barbecues and that type of stuff. People use poor judgment and figure they can get away with it.”