Robert Pauli 2013

Robert Pauli, 27, of Mountain Heights Drive

HOPATCONG — A Sparta man who crashed into a telephone pole that then fell across Sparta Stanhope Road faces charges after the friend he called to pick him up at the scene ran into the same pole, Hopatcong Police said today.

Hopatcong Police gave the following account of events in the early hours of June 23 that led to the arrest of Robert Pauli, 27, of Mountain Heights Drive.

Pauli had left a Randolph bar called the Barn late Saturday night, June 22, and at about 3 a.m. crashed into a telephone pole on Sparta Stanhope Road, snapping it in three places and rolling his truck onto its side.

Pauli used his cell phone to call a female friend to pick him up, but when she arrived she didn’t see the utility pole in the road and crashed into it. Her vehicle’s airbag inflated, but she managed to get out, which is where the police found her when they arrived. Officers had to cut her vehicle's battery cables with bolt cutters to stop the blaring of the horn.

Police searched the area, but did not find the driver of the truck, even with the help of the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit. Officers called the home of the registered owner and learned that Pauli drives the truck. Police tried to locate Pauli by “pinging” his cell phone, but it was not on.

Robert Pauli crashed his truck on June 23

Later in the morning a family member called Byram Police to say that they had received a text message from Pauli saying that the truck had been stolen from the Barn during the night. The theft had not been reported to Randolph Police.

Hopatcong Police then tried to contact Pauli’s cell phone again, and it was located in the woods near his home.

When a short time later a family member called Sparta Police to say that Pauli was home, Byram Police picked Pauli up and took him to Hopatcong Police headquarters.

Police said that Pauli had been waiting in the woods for the friend to pick him up, but when he saw the police lights, he got scared and walked home through the woods.

Pauli was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, reckless driving and driving while his license was suspended.

According to police, Pauli was also wanted for failure to appear on four separate warrants: Roxbury Township for $500, Rockaway Township for $1,500, Montclair for $2,500 and Manasquan Borough for $750.

He posted bail on the warrants and was released pending a court appearance.

More Sussex County news: NJ.com/Sussex