She fell asleep in an Uber, and then that Newark woman wound up behind bars a few hours later as police believe she was under the influence of one or more drugs, Det. Capt. Vincent Auteri, of the Lyndhurst Police Department, said.
On Saturday, July 26, 2025, at approximately 12:19 a.m., officers responded to a report of an unresponsive passenger in an Uber vehicle parked in the 100 block of Ridge Road.
The Uber driver contacted 911 after he was unable to wake a female passenger who had reportedly fallen asleep in the rear seat of his vehicle during a ride that began in Newark. The driver was unsure how to proceed and requested assistance from local law enforcement.
Upon arrival, Officers Brian Kapp and Thomas Golda approached the vehicle and attempted to make contact with the woman, who was slumped over and unresponsive in the back seat. After several attempts, officers were able to wake the individual, identified as Danielle Krauss, 29, of Newark, through verbal commands and gentle physical prompting.
As Krauss regained consciousness, Officer Kapp observed multiple small blue plastic vials containing a white powdery substance, believed to be cocaine, and several waxed folds containing a white substance believed to be heroin, on the seat beneath where she had been lying.
Krauss was escorted from the vehicle, where she exhibited signs of impairment, including slurred speech, unsteady balance and a disheveled appearance.
Despite denying being under the influence and stating she was only tired, Krauss was placed under arrest for possession of controlled dangerous substances. EMS was dispatched to Lyndhurst Police Headquarters to conduct a medical evaluation based on her condition. She was subsequently transported to Hackensack University Medical Center for a medical evaluation.
Following medical clearance, Krauss was charged with two counts of possession of CDS and transported to the Bergen County Jail, Hackensack. It was also discovered that she had an active warrant issued by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.