This is the moment a New Jersey judge can be heard telling state troopers ‘I’m a f**king judge’ during a drink-driving arrest in 2016.
On dash-cam footage from the arrest, part-time judge Wilfredo Benitez can be heard repeatedly telling troopers of his position, calling one of them ‘a d**k’ for putting him in handcuffs.
Benitez, who serves the towns of Belleville, East Orange and Bloomfield, New Jersey, had been found asleep at the wheel at 2am in Teaneck, New Jersey on November 12, 2016.
Two troopers spotted Benitez’s car parked on the right shoulder of the interstate where the judge was asleep in the front seat.
After police woke him up, they noticed his eyes were bloodshot and there was a scent of alcohol coming from the car.
In the video footage, obtained by NJ.com, Benitez tells police that he had been on his way home after dropping his daughter off at school, before changing this to his son.
Benitez told the officers he hadn’t been drinking or taking any drugs before the stop.
Officers then decided to conduct a field sobriety test at which point Benitez can be heard asking ‘What are you trying to do? I mean, I’m a judge.
On video footage from the arrest, part-time judge Wilfredo Benitez can be heard repeatedly telling troopers of his position, calling one of them ‘a d**k’ for putting him in handcuffs
‘I can’t believe you’re doing this. I’m not a f**king drug addict. I’m not a drunk! I can’t believe you’re doing this’.
According to NJ.com, Benitez was found to be twice the drink-driving limit.
As the officers locks the handcuffs, Benitez kept on insisting: ‘I’m a f**king judge.’
The officer then said: ‘I’m going to read you the Miranda warning. I’m sure you know it.’
Benitez apparently yelled ‘You’re wasting your time and you know it. I’ll fight you. You know you’re being a d***. I will f**king fight you.’
Benitez was arrested, but was ultimately found not guilty of the DWI charge ‘because of flaws in the investigation’.
He is is still under investigation by the judicial conduct board for allegedly requesting preferential treatment during the stop.
A complaint for the ethics violation was filed on in January. A hearing on the complaint has not yet been publicly announced.