Around 11:00 p.m. on Dec. 8, Officers Ben Wuelfing and Joe Martin responded to a motor vehicle accident with injuries at the intersection of Belgrove Drive and Bergen Ave. A silver Lincoln Continental (eastbound on Bergen at the time of the accident) fled the scene. Police were able to trace liquid coming from the car and followed it down a series of Kearny streets before finding the silver Lincoln parked on John Hay Ave.
While police were in the process of getting a tow truck to remove the vehicle, a 25-year-old Kearny resident arrived and admitted that she had been driving the car. While interviewing her, police detected an odor of alcohol and conducted on-scene tests that confirmed their suspicion. The 25-year-old was charged with D.W.I., driving under a suspended driver’s license, careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, failing to report an accident, assault by automobile, and refusing to submit to a breath test.
In another automobile accident on the evening of Dec. 11, Officers John Fabula, Jack Corbett Jr. and Brian Wisely responded to the bottom of Hoyt St. off Schuyler Ave. after a report of a car hitting a tree. When they arrived at the scene, the officers confirmed that an accident had occurred and saw several people fleeing the area.
In the front passenger seat was a 16-year-old youth, “pretty banged up.”
A check on the vehicle determined that the car had been stolen. Upon searching the surrounding area, Corbett encountered a 17-year-old Kearny male who attempted to elude him. After apprehending the youth, the male admitted to being the driver and to “smoking some weed.”
The 17-year-old was charged with receiving stolen property, driving while under the influence of narcotics, driving without a license, reckless driving, and fleeing the scene of an accident. Both teens received medical attention. The 16-year-old was processed and turned over to one of his parents. The 17-year-old, after consenting to a urine sample, was taken to Hudson County Youth House in Secaucus after it was revealed that he had an outstanding juvenile warrant from Hudson County.
Det. Mike Gonzalez was en route to work on Dec. 12 when he observed an individual known from previous police encounters walking on Passaic Ave. He watched the man enter the Kmart on Passaic Ave. A few minutes later, the man left the store. The man wasn’t carrying any packages but his coat appeared to have expanded, police said.
The man was detained for investigation and it was found that he was in possession of three boxes of Trojan Magnum Condoms and 19 boxes of Visine eye drops.
After confirming with the store that the man had not made the purchases, he was placed under arrest for shoplifting and was found to have outstanding warrants from Newark, Bloomfield, and East Orange.
Kearny Police Chief John Dowie urged all Kearny residents to lock their cars and to make sure that all valuable items are out of sight or not left in the cars as a measure to deter theft.
Of several fights that happened on the night of Dec.9 into the wee hours of Dec. 10,
none was potentially more dangerous than an incident that occurred on the corner
of Kearny Ave. and Dukes St.
At 3:25 a.m., Sgt. Charles Smith came upon a disorderly group, with several members
fighting and screaming. During the squabble, Smith overheard a member of the group yell at another, “If you want to shoot, go ahead.”
During the event, Smith observed a member of the group walking away who appeared
to drop something in the gutter. After calling for backup, Smith apprehended the individual and searched the area. Lying in the gutter was a Colt .32 semi-automatic
pistol, fully loaded with hollow-point bullets.
The 25-year-old Harrison resident was charged with illegal possession of a weapon,
possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, and possession of hollow-point bullets.
However, this was not the only dust-up that occurred that morning. At 2:40 a.m., Officers Tom Sumowski and Christian Medina, along with Sgt. Smith were called to a large fight on the 200 block of Kearny Ave. Officers arrived at the scene and observed a disorderly group of people standing on the sidewalk.
While attempting to disperse the group, officers spotted one individual, a 26-year-old male from New York, instigating fights. After attempting to calm him, the 26-year-old male shoved Sumowski and attempted to flee. As the 26-year-old made his bid for freedom, a second male, a 23-year-old Harrison resident, tried to stop Sumowski from collaring the 26-year-old. It turns out the man was the Harrison resident’s cousin.
Officers Mike Santucci and Derek Hemphill arrived on scene and provided backup. Both parties were taken into custody and charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing the administration of law, and resisting arrest. The 26-year-old was also charged with assault on a police officer.
At 5:30 a.m., that same 23-year-old Harrison resident was released from headquarters and spotted by Det. Mike Gonzalez urinating in the middle of the street. Gonzalez gave him a summons for urinating in the street.
