April 26
A man described as 5-feet-eight tried to steal a 1994 Honda parked on Newark Ave. shortly before noon but was scared off by a local resident. The would-be thief ran north on Newark and then west on Harrison St. Police said the vehicle’s steering column was damaged.
Police are investigating the theft of eyeglasses from a Franklin Ave. business shortly before 11 a.m.
Police issued a summons to a man on Park Ave. urinating while standing with his back to passing motorists at 12:26 a.m.
April 25
Someone removed a police shield from the windshield of a vehicle parked on Park Drive during the early evening.
A man on White Terrace was struck in the head by a fallen tree limb at 5:57 p.m. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Someone scrawled graffiti on the wall near the waterfalls in Nichols Park. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to call police at (973) 284-4940.
April 24
Two seventh-grade students duked it out after school behind an area business. One suffered a black eye as a result. Charges are pending.
A Hawthorne Ave. resident reported fraudulent charges on her charge account that were reportedly logged in Chicago, Ill.
Patricia Krentcil, 44, was arrested on charges of endangering the welfare of a child after she allegedly took her 5-year-old daughter into a tanning booth in which the child sustained burns. Krentcil, who was wanted by the Camden County Sheriff’s Dept. on unrelated charges, was extradited to Camden County after posting the required $25,000 bail option for Nutley.
A 72-year-old Nutley man was ticketed for careless driving after his car struck a dog that had run into the street at Grant Ave. and Walnut St. at 10:17 a.m. The injured dog, cradled by its owner, was taken to a local animal hospital but the pooch couldn’t be revived.
Responding to a report of a motorist leaving the scene of an accident on Rt. 21 at 9:34 a.m., police located a heavily damaged 2007 Mitsubishi in a bank parking lot on River Road and arrested the driver, Samantha Petrullo, 34, of North Plainfield, on charges of DWI, possession of drugs and possession of a hypodermic needle. Petrullo was also ticketed for leaving the scene, driving while suspended, driving an uninsured motor vehicle, failing to report an accident and possession of drugs in a motor vehicle. The other driver involved was unhurt, police said.
A driver was stopped at Franklin and Kingsland Aves. at 8:15 a.m. after police say they saw him making an illegal turn. The driver, not identified by police, was ticketed for the illegal turn and for failure to register his vehicle, which police then impounded.
A suspended driver with an expired registration was given summonses by police after the driver was stopped on Passaic Ave. at 1:42 a.m. The vehicle was impounded. Police didn’t identify the driver.
April 23
Police investigating an anonymous letter reporting witchcraft being practiced in an Elm St. residence met with the occupants at around 9 p.m. and a “cooperative voluntary search” of the home failed to document any evidence of “satanic rituals,” according to police.
A Park Ave. resident suffered facial burns while cooking at night. She was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital for treatment.
Township workers cleaning sewer drains at 9:31 a.m. found a handgun near Myrtle Ave. and Monsignor Owens Place. Police took the weapon and are investigating to determine if it was used in a crime.
What police described as a “mother daughter dispute” on Hillside Ave. prompted the mother to flee with her 3-year-old grandson at 8:31 a.m. Police located both in Livingston and brought them back to Nutley. After learning that the daughter, Jackie McInerney, 24, of Nutley, had outstanding warrants totaling $1,150 from Livingston and Belleville, police arrested her and later charged her with simple assault with an additional $2,500 bail set. McInerney was released after posting bail, pending a court hearing.
Alerted by an activated burglar alarm, police went to a Bloomfield Ave. convenience store at 12:27 a.m. where they found the side window smashed and proceeds taken. Detectives are investigating this burglary and other area burglaries that may be linked to the same culprit.
April 22
Two people were hurt in an accident on Rt. 21 at 3:28 a.m. Police believe the accident occurred when a pickup truck was struck from behind by a Mercedes Benz. Police said the truck rolled down an embankment and hit a tree. Both of the occupants were taken to an area hospital for treatment of head injuries. The Mercedes motorist, not identified by police, was charged with DWI and released to a responsible adult pending a court appearance.
Police are investigating a report from a Nutley resident who said she was pulled over on Prospect St. by a blue pickup truck with flashing blue and red lights apparently posing as a cop.
April 21
The driver of a 2010 Toyota who, police say, fled the scene of an accident at Franklin Ave. and Glenwood Road at 9:02 p.m. continued driving along Grant Ave. where he struck a number of parked cars. When officers caught up to the driver at Centre St. and Passaic Ave., police said the driver tried to flee but was stopped and placed under arrest. Jorge Delgado, 33, was ticketed for leaving the scene of an accident and DWI. He was released to a responsible adult pending a court hearing.
Someone swiped two bicycles from the rear yard of a Kenzel Ave. residence. The theft was reported at 12:16 p.m.
A Mountainview Ave. resident complained to police about a neighbor feeding stray cats which defecate and bring small prey into an open garage, causing a foul odor and potential health risk. The Health Dept. was asked to investigate.
Police found a 45-year-old man incapacitated and lying in the street at Lafayette Place and Park Ave. at around 1 a.m. He was taken to an area hospital for evaluation.
April 20
A 55-year-old intoxicated man fell down several steps in the park off Centre St. at around 8:30 p.m. and was transported to an area hospital for treatment of his injuries.
A woman shopping at a local business shortly before 8:30 p.m. told police that as she reached for groceries on the top shelf, a woman grabbed her purse from her shopping cart and ran out of the store, with employees giving chase. Police apprehended the suspect, Kathleen Armstrong, 46, of North Brunswick, holding the customer’s purse, several blocks away and charged her with theft.
Five teens were caught with drugs while hanging out on the rail tracks near Nutley Ave. at 5:19 p.m. They were turned over to their parents’ custody and charged with possession of marijuana.
A Clifton motorist was charged with DWI after police say he rear-ended another vehicle at Franklin Ave. and Harrison St. at 1:14 p.m. Victor Bador, 40, was issued a summons and released to the custody of a family member pending a court hearing.
