For the second time in four years, Phillipsburg Municipal Judge Dennis M. Baptista is facing an ethics complaint from the Supreme Court of New Jersey Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct. Baptista, who pleaded guilty Fab. 3 to a driving under the influence charge, allegedly tried to use his position as a judge to influence a New Jersey state trooper during and after the traffic stop the evening of Aug. 22, 2014, the committee reports. Trooper Josh Ladao pulled over Baptista for alleged failure to stay in a lane after following the judge west on Interstate 78 from mile marker 21 in Hunterdon County, the complaint states. Baptista smelled of alcohol but, in a...
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