Dear New Brunswick City,

Under OPRA and the common law right of access, please provide copies of the arrest report and blood warrant for Suzanne Sicora-Ludwig (case number 24NB02141), as well as any affidavit in support of the warrant.

I am a reporter for New Brunswick Today covering this arrest of an elected official. I only mention this to strengthen my request under the common law. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you kindly.

Yours faithfully,

Charlie Kratovil

Dear Deputy Clerk,

Thanks for the letter from Captain Shah. While that letter addresses my OPRA request, it does not address my common law right of access request. As mentioned previously, I am a member of the press covering the State of New Jersey's driving while intoxicated case against a local City of New Brunswick elected official.

As you know, I am a regular participant in the meetings of the governing body and, at those meetings, I have routinely raised issues about the dangers of car crashes involving city employees. My reporting this year has focused heavily on transportation safety. Now, a high-ranking city employee has been accused by the NBPD of driving an unregistered, uninsured vehicle while extremely intoxicated, and my investigation into this issue has naturally expanded as a result of these facts. Additionally, the Daily Voice reported on June 28 that they had obtained the "affidavit for probable cause" in this case. Several other media outlets have covered the case. By any reasonable measure, my interest in obtaining the requested record outweighs the city government's interest in withholding it.

Please release the record to me pursuant to the common law. Thanks.

Yours sincerely,

Charlie Kratovil