Recent reports from the Kearny Police Department blotter included, but were not limited to, the following:
April 12
At 7 p.m., Vice Unit detectives spotted a vehicle double-parked on the 800 block of Devon St., the same car they had seen earlier that evening occupied by a known drug offender who was wanted on a warrant. When they approached the car at 7, however, they found it to be occupied by another individual — one who, police said, was observed trying to pop a pill. He reportedly was attempting to ingest Oxycodone. Charged with possession of a CDS, being under the influence of a CDS, and hindering apprehension by trying to hide evidence was Domingo J. Armental, 40, of Kearny. Motor vehicle summonses were issued for double-parking and possession of a CDS in a motor vehicle. The wanted person seen in the car earlier was no longer in it.
April 13
At 2 a.m., Sgt. John Becker stopped a vehicle for tailgating at Kearny Ave. and Dukes St. and observed a person in the back seat crouching low and apparently trying to conceal something. After an inquiry and their reported detection of a strong odor of marijuana, Becker and his backup, P.O. Ben Wuelfing, arrested 23-yearold West Washington, N.J., resident Richard Ferreira on charges of possession of marijuana and of paraphernalia and on an outstanding warrant from Washington Township.
At 6:30 p.m., P.O. Jose Resua stopped a vehicle on Devon Terrace after his mobile- computer inquiry found the owner to be wanted and suspended, police said. Jorge Guillen, 47, of Newark was arrested for driving while suspended and on a $400 outstanding Newark, warrant and his car was impounded for being unregistered.
April 14
P.O. Frank West responded to a 2:30 p.m. report of a man harassing people at Kearny and Laurel Aves. The man, a 32-year-old South Orange resident, denied harassing anyone, said he was down on his luck and was just looking for money for food and coffee, and wished the officer a “Happy Father’s Day.” Shortly thereafter, West observed the same man drinking a beer on Kearny Ave., suds he is thought to have purchased with his coffee money. He was cited for drinking in public and transported at his request to Penn Station.
April 15
In another case of locked-out and locked-up, P.O. Brian Wisely did come upon a vehicle blocking a driveway on the 200 block of Kearny Ave. at 6 p.m. and did approach a female who was standing alongside it. She claimed she had locked herself out of the car but had just regained access as the officer arrived. One of the windows was down, and Wisely reportedly detected a strong odor of marijuana.
Under questioning, the woman admitted she had just ingested the drug inside the car, police said. A search of the vehicle reportedly uncovered three bags of marijuana, 14 partially smoked marijuana cigars and an open bottle of alcohol. Kearny resident Idalina Fidalgo, 28, was charged with possession of pot and paraphernalia and was issued traffic summonses for blocking a driveway and open alcohol in a vehicle.
At 6:38 p.m., Officers Rich Pawlowski and Pat Becker were on patrol in the 590 tract off the Belleville Pike when they observed two men leaving a warehouse through a broken door and placing brand new packages of copier toner cartridges into a vehicle, police said. When questioned, the men claimed they had permission to take the items, but police said the distributor confirmed they were stealing the items, valued at an estimated $1,000. Arrested and charged with criminal trespass and receiving stolen property were Abdulla Barr, 38, of East Orange, and Howard Ruddock, 39, of Irvington, who was also found to have on outstanding warrant from Elizabeth.
April 17
At 1:10 p.m., Detective Mike Gonzalez and Sgt. Paul Bershefski arrested Scott Huaman, 22, of Kearny, on the 200 block of Chestnut St. on an outstanding warrant issued by Clifton. A search incident to that arrest found that Huaman was in possession of two marijuana cigarettes, police said, and he was additionally charged with possession of a CDS and paraphernalia.
At 2:06 p.m., P.O. John Fabula observed 27-year-old Sidnei Antunes (no known address) on the steps of the Kearny Library and arrested him on an outstanding warrant issued by the Kearny Municipal Court. He was transported to headquarters for processing.
P.O. Officer Ben Wuelfing was dispatched to a noise complaint on the 200 block of Maple St. at 11:30 p.m. and arrived to find a doubleparked vehicle obstructing traffic. When the occupant, Piero Duilio-Soto, 26, of Kearny, opened the window, there was a strong odor of marijuana and Wuelfing observed several partially smoked marijuana cigarettes / cigars in the interior, police said. Soto was charged criminally with possession of a CDS and paraphernalia and issued summonses for being double parked, having a CDS in a motor vehicle and failure to exhibit proof of insurance.
Shortly before 10 p.m., Kearny units were alerted to a hit-and-run accident on Liberty St. involving a silver Jeep and were notified that a concerned citizen was following the fleeing vehicle. The Jeep was located in a private driveway on Hillcrest Road by Officers Chris Medina and Giovanni Rodriguez and Capt. John Gouveia. Police said the woman behind the wheel, identified as 19-yearold Kearny resident Jenna Marino, took the keys from the ignition, threw them to her male passenger and told him to say he was driving, apparently not thinking that the cops would hear this.
Given the prior accident, the fact that she was not in her own driveway and that she gave off a heavy odor of alcohol, Marino was administered field sobriety tests and placed under arrest for DWI, police said. Transported to HQ, where she was administered an alcotest, Marino allegedly became hostile and combative, punched Medina in the stomach, kicked him in the leg and attempted to bite another officer. In addition to DWI, leaving the scene of an accident and reckless driving, she was also charged with aggravated assault on a police officer.
April 18
Officers Ben Wuelfing, Kevin Canaley and Chris Medina responded to the area of Oakwood Ave. and Devon St. at 3 a.m. on a report of suspicious persons tampering with parked cars. Shortly after arriving, they detained two individuals reportedly known to them from past police encounters. While interviewing the pair, the officers were informed by concerned citizens that the two had entered at least two vehicles, and a check of the area uncovered two GPS units that had apparently been dropped at the curb on the officers’ arrival, police said. The GPS units were activated by the officers and their respective owners were notified of the theft and recovery of their property.
Arrested were a 17-yearold Kearny male and 18-yearold Kearny resident Daniel Tammaro, who allegedly was in possession of two Vicodin pills. Both were charged with attempted burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary, and Tammaro was additionally charged with possession of a prescription-legend drug.
April 19
At 1:25 p.m., Officer Jack Grimm was on patrol at Bergen and Kearny Aves. when he observed an individual rush out of a bank and head toward Kearny Ave. However, when the man noticed the officer, he quickly reversed direction and appeared to conceal himself behind a parked van, police said. Grimm left the patrol car, searched the area on foot and located him a few moments later in the rear of an eating establishment. The 40-year-old Paterson resident, Daniel LaRock, reportedly admitted he had no business in the bank and was looking to get some money from passersby. Police said a warrant check found that LaRock was wanted by New Brunswick and Irvington. He was placed under arrest and later turned over to the New Brunswick police.
–Karen Zautyk
