A Forked River man has been charged following a suspected drug-impaired driving incident at a Lakewood gas station late Sunday night.

On January 5, 2026, at approximately 10:51 p.m., Lakewood Police officers responded to a report of a driver who appeared to be nodding off inside a vehicle at a gas station along Ocean Avenue. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the driver and observed signs consistent with drug impairment. The driver was administered standardized field sobriety tests as part of the investigation.

During the encounter, officers observed drug paraphernalia in plain view inside the vehicle. A subsequent search led to the discovery of suspected controlled dangerous substances (CDS) along with additional paraphernalia.

The driver was identified as Christopher Polperio, 46, of Forked River, New Jersey. He was taken into custody without incident and charged via warrant with possession of controlled dangerous substances and possession of drug paraphernalia. Polperio was also issued multiple motor vehicle summonses, including driving while intoxicated and possession of CDS in a motor vehicle.

Polperio was transported to the Ocean County Jail without incident.

The investigation was led by Officer James Komsa, with assistance from Officers D’Angelo and B. Rodriguez.