The man in the mugshot accompanying this week’s KPD blotter began his Labor Day with a visit to Walmart and ended it in the Hudson County Jail. In between, he paid a brief visit to Clara Maass Medical Center — hence the Band -Aid — for treatment of injuries suffered when he reportedly took out his post- arrest anger on a squad car.
The drama began at 10:20 a.m., Sept. 7, when Kearny police received a BOLO that a shoplifter had just fled Walmart and was running west on Harrison Ave. Officer Malinda Esposito spotted suspect Salahudin James, 23, of Newark, stopped her patrol car and ordered him to likewise halt, but he ignored her, police said.
Sgt. Michael Cardella and Officer Jose Resua arrived on the scene and joined in the chase, with James reportedly darting in and out of traffic and between parked vehicles. Eventually, Resua caught him, but he “resisted violently” and had to be taken to the ground by all three cops, Chief John Dowie said. When he was being put into the rear of a patrol car, James remained “extemely combative,” kicking at the officers and then kicking and pounding on the car doors and windows and smashing his head against the prisoner partition, the chief said.
The suspect was returned to Walmart, where he was identified by security, who reported that he had tried to leave the store with headphones, a charger, socks, Tshirts and a backpack — worth a total of $123.
Kearny EMS was summoned and took him to the Belleville hospital for treatment of his self-inflicted injuries, police said.
James was charged with robbery, resisting arrest, hindering apprehension and two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer. Authorities said he also had three outstanding warrants from Newark. By 4 p.m., James was in the jail on $50,000 bail (no 10% option) from Kearny and $11,000 bail on the warrants.
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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
Sept. 3
Sgts. Charles Smith and Dave Rakowski responded to a 3:45 p.m. report of a fight outside a Stover Ave. auto salvage business and arrived to find “a slugfest in progress.” According to police, combatants Antonio Salcedo, 44, of Paterson, and Juan Matos, 41, of Passaic, were ordered several times to cease and desist but refused to do so until the cops employed OC spray. Both were charged with simple assault; Matos was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, a crack pipe. At headquarters, Salcedo complained of chest pains and the EMS was called, but he was not hospitalized.
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Officer Jordenson Jean, on patrol near Kearny Ave. and Grove St. at 5:15p.m., arrested Paul Spana, 50, of Kearny, after confirming he was wanted on two theft-related Kearny warrants, each with $1,000 bail, police said. Spana was brought to HQ pending transport to the county jail.
Sept. 5
Officer Jay Ward responded to a 10 p.m. report of a strongarm robbery at the Hambergao Restaurant on Kearny Ave., obtained a description of the suspect and direction of flight and issued a BOLO. Det. Michael Farinola and Officers Daniel Esteves and Tom Pontrella searched the area and, at Bergen Ave. and Chestnut St., encountered a Hambergao employee who had been chasing the man on foot. In an alley, the officers found Christian Garcia-Carretero, 37, of Kearny, who allegedly was in possession of $12 taken from the restaurant tip jar. Police said he was also in possession of unaccounted-for credit cards and a backpack containing an iPod with its serial number defaced, a USB flash drive and a cell phone for which he also could not account. In addition, he had a theft-by-deception warrant from North Arlington.
Garcia-Carretero was charged on the warrant and with theft by unlawful taking and was remanded to the HCJ.
Police were attempting to track the origin of the electronics.
Sept. 8
At 5:15 p.m., the Vice Unit observed Robert Colgan 61, of Kearny, operating a 1995 Honda on the 100 block of Brighton Ave., confirmed that he had a suspended license, and arrested him for driving with same. In a search incident to arrest, Colgan was reportedly found to be in possession of 50 wax folds of heroin, stamped “AT&T.” (Editor’s note: On Sept. 8, many U.S. stocks bounced back from steep losses, but we do not know if AT&T was among them.) Colgan was also charged with possession of the drug and paraphernalia and operating an MV while in possession of a CDS
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At 8 p.m., motorist Felix Peralto, 22, of Newark, was pulled over by Officer Kevin Arnesman for running a red light at Grant and Johnston Aves. and was unable to produce his driver’s license, police said. HQ reported that the license was suspended and that Peralto was wanted on a $250 Kearny traffic warrant. In a search incident to arrest, back-up officer Sgt. Scott Traynor reportedly found three glassine bags of heroin in Peralto’s pocket. Peralto was charged with the license and heroin possession offenses and with operating an MV in possession of a CDS.
Sept. 9
At 3 p.m., Officer Sean Kelly observed Douglas Welfl, 29, of Kearny, sleeping on a blanket in Memorial Park at Kearny Ave. and Beech St. Police said the officer confirmed that Welfl was the subject of a drug-related Kearny warrant, arrested him and took him to HQ , where he was held for transport to the HCJ.
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Officer Arnesman responded at 3:30 p.m. to citizen complaints about an erratic driver — operating not a car but a Freightliner truck — in the mall area on Passaic Ave. near Bergen Ave. Detained, advised of the complaints and asked for his credentials, the trucker — Cliff Brefo, 40, of Newark — was found to have a suspended license and warrants from Phillipsburg and Mt. Olive, police said. Brefo was arrested and those jurisdictions were notified.
– Karen Zautyk
