Re Bank Municipal Court Judge William Himelman expressed frustration this morning over delays concerning evidence in the DWI case of local publisher Claudia Ansorge.
“It’s now too long” since a Monmouth County Grand Jury decided not to indict Ansorge last April in the 2006 death of pedestrian Robert Lisowsky and kicked the matter back to the borough court for adjudication of a drunk-driving charge, Himelman said. “I want this case to get tried.”
At issue is printed documentation of a State Police analysis of a blood sample given by Ansorge following her arrest. Borough Prosecutor James Butler told the judge he has asked the State Police to put a rush on the request, but that it could take another 30 days.
Himelman gave Butler 45 days to obtain and turn over the documents to the defense. If it doesn’t happen, Himelman said, he may disallow the analysis as evidence.
“If it’s not received in 45, I’d seriously consider not allowing the reading” in as trial evidence, Himelman said.
The prosecution contends the evidence shows Ansorge had a blood-alcohol level at the intoxication level of .08 percent shortly after the accident. The defense, however, says a separate analysis conducted by private lab shows Ansorge was below the legal threshold.
Other evidence in the case includes a videotape of Ansorge being interviewed about the accident by Red Bank police.
Lisowsky, 59, of Brick was struck by Ansorge’s car as he crossed East Front Street near Riverview Medical Center, where he worked for many years as a plumber. He died from his injuries several days later.
Ansorge is he publisher of Red Bank Red Hot magazine and owns an advertising agency.
