Readers of the Kearny police blotter will recall that last week’s reports included that of a township man taken into custody after he was found sleeping on the lawn at St. Cecilia’s Church on Kearny Ave. That was on Oct. 7 at 4:30 p.m.
On Oct. 15, at 2:30 p.m., Officers Brian Wisely and Kevin Arnesman found the same individual, 50-year-old Arthur Smith, in the same place doing the same thing, police said. When they awoke him, he allegedly became confrontational and told the cops, “I’ll worship God wherever I choose.”
According to police, Smith has been advised on multiple occasions that he is not allowed on the property. Wisely and Arnesman confirmed this with parish administrators, warned Smith yet again that he was not welcome and issued him a summons for defiant trespassing.
Stay tuned.
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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
Oct. 8
At 2 p.m., Officer Chris Levchak observed an SUV blocking traffic on Kearny Ave. at Halstead St. while the driver engaged in a conversation. The motorist, Gabriel Rubino, 42, of Kearny, was found to have a suspended license, police said, and was charged with that offense, delaying traffic and failure to wear a seatbelt.
Oct. 13
Officer Tom Floyd, responding to a 4:30 a.m. accident at Central and Pennsylvania Aves. in South Kearny, arrived to find a 2010 Honda Accord impaled on a guardrail. When Floyd approached, occupant Franklin Garcia, 32, of Union City, reportedly inquired, “Officer, why did you stop me?”
Garcia was able to exit the vehicle, but the Kearny Fire Department had to cut the Honda off the rail.
He was charged with DWI, driving while suspended [no pun intended], careless driving and refusal to submit to an Alcotest.
Oct. 15
A concerned citizen came to headquarters at 10 a.m. to advise police of a “heated dispute” between a man and a woman on Forest St. Det. Marc McCaffrey and Officer Rich Carbone responded and were told that the couple had entered a residence there. Upon investigation, the were able to determine that no domestic violence had occurred and that the female showed no evidence of an assault, police said.
However, in the hallway, McCaffrey and Carbone encountered Jamal Coote, 27, of Kearny, who reportedly had a strong odor of marijuana about his person and appeared to be clutching some weed. He was charged with possession of the drug and drug paraphernalia after six small bags of pot were found in his pocket, police said.
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At 6:30 p.m., Officer Jordenson Jean’s mobile computer alerted him to a Honda Civic with an expired registration parked near Highland and Bergen Aves. The owner, Jonathan Quevedo, 27, of Morristown, was located nearby and was found to have an outstanding warrant from Englewood, police said. He was arrested and the Englewood PD was notified.
Oct. 16
Just after midnight, Officer Ben Wuelfing responded to a report of an accident on Rts. 1 & 9 in South Kearny. When he arrived, Officer Jack Corbett, on Pulaski Skyway traffic duty, advised him that a 2008 Ford was stuck atop a highway divider. Wuelfing interviewed the driver, Shonett Colbert, 38, of Linden, who said her car had been hit from behind by another, which fled.
Colbert’s stranded car, however, was not the extent of her troubles. She was arrested for driving while suspended [no pun, etc.] and on a warrant from Jersey City.
Police were able to identify the other vehicle and its owner has been mailed summonses for careless driving and leaving the scene.
–Karen Zautyk
