On Saturday, June 22, at 11:15 p.m., Kearny Detectives Scott Traynor and John Telle observed a Volkswagen Jetta with Pennsylvania plates traveling at a high rate of speed eastbound on Bergen Ave. near Davis Ave. with the male driver and female passenger shouting at one another, police said. The detectives stopped the vehicle at Bergen Ave. and Ivy St., and the couple admitted they were involved in a heated argument. [Editor’s note: Over what was not reported to your curious correspondent, drat.]
It was reported, however, that the passenger, Vanessa Wong, 23, of Effort, Pa., was found to be wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Annandale, N.J.
As Wong was exiting the car, police said, she was observed attempting to conceal something between the seats. Det. Traynor retrieved the object, which was found to be a plastic bag allegedly containing 90 glassine folds of suspected heroin, 60 of which were stamped “After-Earth” and 30 of which were stamped “Steel Monkey.”
Both Wong and the driver, 25-year-old Jason Frey, also of Effort, were arrested and charged with possession of heroin, possession with intent to distribute, and intent to istribute in a school zone and a park zone. Bail was set at $10,000 for each defendant.
Other recent reports from the Kearny Police Department blotter included the following:
June 21
Officers John Fabula and Luis Moran were on patrol in South Kearny at 4:30 p.m. when they observed a white Dodge pick-up truck disregard a red light while speeding northbound on Rt. 1&9 at Hackensack Ave.
The officers pursued the truck and were finally able to bring it to a stop on Rt. 440 in Jersey City.
On approaching the vehicle, police said, Fabula observed a can of Budweiser beer in the center console along with a small plastic bag containing a white powdery substance later determined to be heroin.
The driver, 57-year-old Rahway resident Wesley Newton, was slumped in his seat, and his speech was slow and slurred, police said. After administering roadside sobriety tests, Fabula placed him under arrest and transported him to headquarters, where more extensive testing was completed.
Newton was charged criminally with possession of heroin and being under the influence of a controlled substance. He was also given motor vehicle summonses for DWI, operating a vehicle while in possession of a CDS, failing to obey a traffic signal and reckless driving.
June 22
At 8:15 p.m., Officer Sean Kelly responded to the 500 block of Schuyler Ave. on a report of a suspicious individual in a backyard. After searching the area on foot, Kelly came upon and detained 33-year-old Newark resident Nuno Rodrigues, who reportedly gave the officer conflicting accounts as to why he was in the area. A check with the homeowner on whose property Rodrigues was seen told the officers he had not been given permission to be there, police said. Rodrigues was placed under arrest for defiant trespass and was also found to be in contempt of a Hudson County court order, police said. Bail was set at $1,500.
June 23
At 1 a.m., Officer Tom Pontrella responded to Walmart on a report of someone selling merchandise from a vehicle. In the parking lot, Pontrella located a 1999 Dodge van with Maryland plates. Police said the driver, 26-year-old North Brunswick resident Gabriel Hernandez, was unable to produce a driver’s license and was found to have outstanding warrants from Dunellen and East Brunswick. Hernandez was placed under arrest on the warrants, transported to HQ for processing and issued a summons for being an unlicensed driver.
June 24
At 2:10 a.m., patrol units responded to a report of a street robbery in the area of Wilson Ave. and Forest St. and arrived to find that a man had been threatened with a handgun and been relieved of his cell phone, cash and keys. Officers obtained a description and direction of flight of the assailant and began to search the area.
In the course of the search, Officers Ben Wuelfing, Joe Martin and Tom Floyd entered Quick Chek and came across three men, one of whom matched the description of the robbery suspect. He reportedly gave the name of Luis Anibal, who was said to have a warrant outstanding from Newark.
The suspect was placed under arrest and transported to HQ, where it was found that he was in possession of three cell phones and a set of keys, police said. The keys and one of the phones reportedly belonged to the Kearny victim.
Police said they also found that Anibal was actually Luis Ramos, 22, from Newark, who was wanted on a $100,000 robbery warrant. Ramos was charged on that warrant and also with robbery, weapons possession and possession of stolen property.
The Kearny victim’s property was returned to him, and the origin of the other phones in Ramos’ possession is being investigated.
At 3:30 a.m., Officers Dean Gasser and Tom Floyd responded to an altercation in the area of Kearny and Wilson Aves., where they found that a woman had been assaulted and that the alleged assailant was still at the scene. After gathering the facts, the officers advised 30-year-old Kearny resident Robert Rushing that he was under arrest, and Rushing responded by pulling away from the officers and swinging wildly at them, police said.
When the officers reengaged Rushing, he allegedly punched Gasser in the shoulder and Floyd in the chest, before being forcibly taken to the ground, handcuffed and placed in a patrol car, wherein he attempted to kick the window out, police reported.
Rushing was taken to HQ where he was charged with three counts of aggravated assault and one count of resisting arrest and was offered medical attention for injuries he sustained during the arrest. The original victim of his assault was transported to Clara Maass Medical Center.
At 10 p.m., Officer Ben Wuelfing responded to a report that two individuals wearing backpacks and having their faces covered with bandanas were lurking around parked cars in the area of Highland and Wilson Aves.
While searching the area, Wuelfing observed the two at Belgrove Drive and Rose St. and as he approached on foot, they began to flee. Wuelfing was able to capture one of the individuals on Clark St. and found that the suspect was a 14-year-old Harrison youth who was allegedly in possession of a GPS unit, a car phone charger, a car radio faceplate — and a razor knife. The youth was transported to HQ, where, police reported, it was determined that the items had been stolen in recent Kearny car burglaries. They boy was released to his mother after processing.
Sgt. Robert Maguire and Det. Mark McCaffrey of the Juvenile Unit were able to identify a 15-year-old Kearny youth who was also allegedly involved, and he was taken into custody the following day.
June 25
Shortly after 8 a.m., Officer Tom Bannon was utilizing one of the department’s license plate readers on the 600 block of Schuyler Ave. when it alerted him to a 1996 Acura with a suspended registration. After stopping the vehicle, he found it was operated by 27-year -old Kearny resident Michelle Roselli. Using the department’s info-cop system, Bannon determined that she had a suspended license and was the subject of outstanding warrants from Wall Township, Toms River, Mantoloking and Harrison, police said. She was arrested and transported to HQ for processing and bail purposes.
June 26
At 11:20 a.m., Sgt. John Taylor was conducting random registration checks on Passaic Ave. utilizing a mobile data computer which returned an active warrant hit for the owner of a 2004 Pontiac that was passing his location. Taylor stopped the vehicle and determined that the driver, Rakeem Kelly, 36, of East Orange, was the subject of the warrant that had been issued by East Orange, police said. Kelly was arrested and transported to HQ and was able to post the required bail.
–Karen Zautyk
