Early on March 30, the Kearny Vice Squad intercepted a 57-year-old Kearny resident they had placed under surveillance after observing what appeared to be a drug transaction at Kearny and Stuyvesant Aves. A search of the man, identified as Clifford Boan, turned up 19 glassine folds containing heroine stamped “Chris Brown.”
Boan was arrested on charges of possession of CDS, possession with intent to distribute, intent to distribute in front of a library, and intent to sell in a school zone, and taken to Hudson County Jail, Kearny, where he was held on $75,000 bail.
That night, Officer John Fabula and Sgt. Anthony Limite responded, separately, to a report of a domestic dispute on Chestnut St. Limite arrived first and came upon an individual armed with a knife. Limite, along with Officer Fabula pulled out their service weapons and de-escalated the situation, disarming the man without the use of force. But even after being taken to the ground and handcuffed, the man continued to be combative.
At one point, the man pushed Fabula in an attempt to get away, only to be forced back to the ground by the officer. The 21-year-old Kearny man was charged with terroristic threats, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, violation of a restraining order and found to have two outstanding warrants from Jersey City and Kearny. No bail was set based on the restraining order violation.
On April 1, Officer Jay Ward reported to K-Mart where a security employee had detained a customer for allegedly taking $125 worth of Nicorette lozenges and a box of Nicorette gum. The man was then placed under arrest. During a search, Ward discovered that the man, 26-year-old George Sousa of Kearny had three small bags of heroin stamped “Big Blue.” Sousa was charged with shoplifting, possession of heroine, and possession of paraphernalia.
On April 1, just before midnight, Officers Chris Medina and Dean Gasser were on patrol on Bergen Ave. in the area of Schuyler Ave. traveling westbound when they saw a car traveling the opposite way with its headlights turned off. After finding a safe place to make a U-turn, the officers caught up to and stopped the vehicle. During the pursuit, they saw the vehicle pass over the double yellow line. After they stopped the vehicle near Schuyler and Bergen Aves. and asked the driver for his license, the man produced an expired license and insurance card. The man continued to rummage through an empty glove box. The man finally produced an Essex County ID card identifying him as Martin J. Richard. A check of the name found that he had a suspended license. The man was taken from the car and placed under arrest. Officers detected a heavy odor of alcohol on him. Based on failed sobriety tests, the officers confirmed suspicion that he was intoxicated. The man, 47-year-old Martin Richard of Elmwood Park, was charged with DWI, careless driving, improper passing, failing to exhibit a registration or insurance card, driving while suspended, failing to use headlights, and refusing to take an alcohol test.
On April 3 around 3 p.m., Officer Sean Kelly responded to Bergen Ave. and Belgrove Dr. on a report of a melee involving a baseball bat. Kelly then received backup from Sgt. Charlie Smith and Officer Pat Becker and Brian Wisely. They found the combatants. The man wielding a bat was disarmed and, after questioning everyone, officers arrested two men: 20-year-old slugger Hugo Villanueva of Kearny was charged with possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The intended victim, 22-year-old North Arlington resident Derek Gaters was arrested on an outstanding warrant from Lyndhurst. Both were taken to headquarters and processed.
Later that day, at 11 p.m., Officers Mike Santucci and Tim Castle responded to the 300 block of Forest St. on a call of a disordery resident in a dwelling. The officers were directed to the second floor where they encountered Brandon Tice, 18, of Kearny, who was highly intoxicated. The resident didn’t want him in the house because of his disorderly behavior.
Given his state of intoxication, the officers attempted to get him help and assisted him down next to a wall but Tice told them he didn’t want their help and punched Santucci in the groin. Santucci and Castle then attempted to take Tice into custody, but Tice tucked his hands underneath his body in an attempt not to be cuffed. The officers eventually got his hands behind his back and cuffed him. Tice was taken to headquarters and charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.
Officers Brian Wisely and John Fabula responded to Davis Ave. on April 4 around 8:30 p.m. on a report of a dispute. In a hallway, they encountered a highly distraught individual in possession of a large knife. The man informed the officers that he wanted to die. After the officers calmed him, the man put the weapon down. Police called for an ambulance to transport the man to Bergen County Hospital. The weapon was confiscated.
