After a year of hearing questions of whether sleeping behind the wheel constitutes vehicle “operation” under the law, a New Jersey appeals court has ruled in a published decision that sitting in the driver’s seat while drunk, even if the car is stationary, qualifies as driving under the influence.

The Appellate Division on Monday reached its ruling in the case of defendant John Thompson, who, according to the court, was allegedly found by police sleeping in his car in a Wanaque 7-Eleven parking lot on Sept. 17, 2017, after drinking alcohol and consuming multiple prescription drugs.

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