Police: High on Heroin, Man Crashes Into Tree

Ridgewood police claim a Westwood man was high on heroin when he failed to navigate a turn and violently slammed into a tree on Lincoln Avenue Wednesday afternoon.

At around 2:30 p.m., emergency responders pulled Kyle P. Swiatlowski, 24, from an Acura sedan crushed beneath an oak tree on the 200 block of Lincoln Avenue. Swiatlowski was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson, where he was undergoing surgery Wednesday night for a punctured lung and a broken femur.

As emergency workers tended to Swiatlowski, Ptl. John Chuck observed "several" bags of heroin in the front seat along with drug paraphernalia and seven hypodermic needles, Sgt. Peter Bolten said.

Police said they believe Swiatlowski shot up heroin just minutes before he crashed into the tree. He was traveling at a high rate of speed, Bolten said.

Swiatlowski was charged with DUI, possession of heroin, possession of hypodermic needles, possession of drug paraphernalia and numerous traffic offenses.

Though serious, his injuries were not considered life-threatening.