It all started when Nutley PD observed a man “peering into car windows” on Washington Ave. on Nov. 24.
When officers sought to conduct a field interview with the man, police said the stranger pedaled away on a bicycle, quickly crossing to the other side of Washington.
In riding away from the cops, police said the man, later identified as Kevin Flanagan, 39, of North Arlington, discarded items as he fled.
Later, retracing the route of flight, police said officers found heroin and cocaine in close proximity to Washington School.
A search of Flanagan turned up a screwdriver and a file, “tools commonly used to commit burglaries,” police said.
Flanagan’s predicament became even more serious when police said they learned he was wanted on two active warrants from Belleville and was wanted by Lyndhurst on a charge of neglect of a child and by North Arlington on a burglary charge, both of which were placed on warrants with court dates.
In Nutley, Flanagan was charged with two counts of possession of CDS (heroin and cocaine), possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of burglary tools, resisting arrest by flight and obstructing administration of law by flight.
Flanagan was taken to the Essex County Jail after failing to post bail of $30,000 with no 10% option set by the Nutley deputy court administrator, police said.
Nutley PD also responded to these incidents reported between Nov. 22 and 26:
Nov. 22
Police went to a Villa Place location on a theft of services complaint. A cabbie told police he picked up a fare in Hoboken and drove him to Villa Place where the fare reportedly asked him to pull over and then abruptly jumped out of the taxi and ran west on Grant Ave. The passenger was described as a skinny, white male with short blond hair, wearing blue jeans and a dark-colored coat. A search of the area was unsuccessful, police said.
Nov. 23
A S. Spring Garden Ave. resident reported that someone had damaged their rock wall at around midnight.
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A Highland Ave. resident reported that someone left a white trash bag containing empty beer cans in their driveway.
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Police arrested William Clark, 18, of Clifton, on Washington Ave. for an active warrant from Clifton. After failing to post bail, he was turned over to Clifton PD.
Nov. 24
Officers responded to a Centre St. location on a report of property damage. A resident told police that their neighbor’s tree branch fell on top of their vehicle, cracking the passenger side of the windshield and denting the top of the car on the passenger side.
Nov. 25
After stopping an individual who reportedly fit a description of a possible burglar, walking along Passaic Ave. near Satterthwaite Ave., police discovered that the individual, Mike Castro, 40, of Newark, had three open warrants – one from Newark and two from Elizabeth. Castro told police he was on his way to work. But, after finding two used hypodermic needles in his shirt pocket, police charged Castro with possession of hypodermic needles and released him, pending court dates in Nutley, Newark and Elizabeth.
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A Franklin Ave. homeowner reported a theft. The homeowner told police they found an open parcel, addressed to then and containing an item worth more than $400, in the shrubs near their front door. Police said the delivery was confirmed by FedEx, who notified the sender.
Nov. 26
Police said they conducted a motor vehicle stop of a vehicle reportedly traveling on Rt. 21 South at a rate of speed of more than 90 mph and arrested the driver, Ariel Mendoza, 22, of Paterson, after learning that he had an outstanding warrant from Paterson. After a search of the driver disclosed suspected marijuana, police charged him with possession of CDS and ticketed him for speeding, reckless driving, driving without a license, having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, failure to possess a license or registration and possession of CDS in a vehicle. Mendoza was turned over to Paterson PD on the warrant. During the MV stop, police said Geury Fernandez Collado, 23, of Paterson, who came to take custody of the vehicle, was arrested for an outstanding warrant from Woodbridge. He was turned over to Woodbridge PD.
– Ron Leir
