Eight-year-old Armani G. Calvo had a tough break last week.
Armani was playing second base for the Nutley FMBA Farm League team in the early evening of May 8 at Flora Lauden Park off Hancox Ave. when he was struck in the face with a line drive from an opposing batter.
An ambulance rushed the boy to Hackensack Hospital where he was examined by emergency room doctors. “On the way, he kept telling me to call his teacher because he was supposed to take the NJ ASK math exam the next day,” his mother, Belinda Aquine-Calvo, recalled.
It wasn’t until two days later that Armani, sporting a shiner, was able to open the damaged eye and was later determined to have an “orbital floor fracture,” which will require surgery, according to Aquine- Calvo.
Last Friday, Township Public Safety Commissioner Al Petracco visited the boy’s home and treated him to ice cream. And, Aquine-Calvo said, “His entire third-grade class (at Yantacaw School) made him ‘get well soon’ cards. Nutley has showed they care and has made the healing process painless. … I can’t get over all the attention.”
Although Armani – who played T-ball two years ago and football last year – will be on the DL for the rest of the season, Armani is hoping the coach will let him sit on the bench and cheer on his teammates.
“He plans to play baseball next year,” Armani’s mom said.
Other incidents logged in the Nutley Police blotter during the past week include these:
May 10
Mathew Poole, 20, of Nutley, has been linked to the theft of cigarettes and other proceeds from two late night gas stations several months ago. Police charged him with burglarizing the Delta station, Centre and Prospect Sts., twice – in July and September 2011 – and with burglarizing the US Gas station, Kingsland St. and Passaic Ave., in fall 2011. He was released after posting 10% of the $50,000 bail, pending a court hearing.
Police arrested Jose Santiago, 29, of Bloomfield, in connection with the burglary of the Riverside Church office on Union Ave. on April 20 in which two Apple MacBook laptops valued at more than $1,000 apiece were reported taken. After obtaining search warrants for computer thumbprints, detectives were able to identify a Bloomfield location where someone attempted to log on to one of the stolen laptops. Santiago was charged with receiving stolen property. The other laptop hasn’t been found, police said.
An Edison Ave. resident told police that $1,600 in unauthorized charges to her account had been made. Those charges originated in the United Kingdom, the resident said.
May 9
A traffic stop at 4:49 p.m. at Harrison St. and Ravine Ave. resulted in the arrest of Augusto Martinez, 38, of Belleville, after police learned Martinez had an outstanding warrant for $500 out of Clark. He was ticketed for driving while suspended and released after posting bail.
After being away from his home for about an hour, a Passaic Ave. resident called police at 1:21 p.m. to report that someone locked the resident’s dog in a room and burglarized the apartment.
May 7
Gary Clark, 32, of Newark, was pulled over at 11:29 p.m. on Rt. 21 and charged with speeding and driving while suspended, police said. He also had multiple warrants outstanding. After posting bail he was released pending a court appearance.
Police responded to a Washington Ave. home at 8:11 p.m. after the owner reported it had been burglarized. Police said an intruder gained access through a rear door and ransacked the house, removing an undetermined amount of proceeds.
May 6
A Hillside Ave. resident called police at 8:21 p.m. to report that someone threw an empty Corona beer bottle through her window.
-Ron Leir
