At about 8 p.m. last Wednesday, Oct. 21, KPD Sgt. Charles Smith conducted a motor vehicle stop on Quincy Ave., west of Kearny Ave.
While Smith was interviewing the driver, Winicius DeJesus, 22, of Newark, backup Officers Chris Manolis and Daniel Esteves approached the passenger side of the vehicle and reportedly detected the odor of burnt marijuana. Police said Manolis also noticed several partially smoked joints in an ashtray. DeJesus was subsequently charged with possession of pot and of drug paraphernalia.
Standard blotter item, right? No. What makes this one a bit different is that police said they recovered 36 — count ‘em, 36 — roaches in the car. The kind that are immune to Raid.
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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
Oct. 17
Det. Michael Gonzalez, on uniformed patrol at 1 a.m., spotted a 2010 Mazda parked in a prohibited area near Highland and Pavonia Aves. As he approached to issue a violation, he reportedly detected a certain odor coming from the car and recovered a plastic container holding a bag of pot. Driver Tyler Montijo, 20, of Kearny, was charged with possession of the drug and paraphernalia.
Oct. 18
At 8 a.m., Sgt. Paul Bershefski came upon a two-car accident at the intersection of Kearny and Laurel Aves. Officers Cesar Negron and Sean Podolski responded to assist. Police said one of the motorists, Mario Aquino, 33, of Newark, was found to have a suspended license and two outstanding warrants: one for a $3,000 Essex County summons and an $816 MV violation from Union Township. Aquino was arrested on those and for driving while suspended and was turned over to the Newark PD.
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At 8:30 p.m., Officer Sean Kelly responded to a report of an accident at Belgrove Drive and New Lawn Aves. and found that a 2000 Volvo had apparently hit a parked car on New Lawn. While interviewing the Volvo’s driver, Patricia Bernard, 37, of Kearny, police said he detected the odor of alcohol and observed a partially consumed bottle of rum in the auto. After field sobriety tests, Bernard was arrested, and while Kelly was retrieving the rum, he found “several other bottles of alcohol of different varieties,” police said.
In addition to DWI, Bernard was charged with reckless driving, failure to keep right, having an open container of alcohol in a MV, and refusing an Alcotest. After processing, she was turned over to a responsible party.
Oct. 20
Officer Chris Levchak, on patrol at 3:30 p.m., observed Anthony Ciccone, 51, of Belleville, talking on a cell phone while driving near Passaic Ave. and the Belleville Pike, police said. Levchak’s MDC also indicated that Ciccone had a suspended license. He was charged with driving while suspended, failure to surrender a suspended license, and with the cell phone violation.
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Also at 3:30 p.m., Officers Rich Pawlowski and Jonathan Dowie apprehended Christian Garcia, 26, of Kearny, near Midland Ave. and Lafayette Place after confirming he had three outstanding Kearny warrants: for resisting arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended. Garcia was taken to headquarters and released after posting $500 bail.
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At 9 p.m., Vice officers observed Stefan Florea, 25, of Kearny, walking – or more precisely, attempting to walk — near Passaic Ave. and the Pike, police said. Believing he might be under the influence, they approached to make sure he was able to take care of himself. Police said Florea admitted to having ingested heroin and was found to be in possession of four empty wax folds: one stamped “Lexus”; one, “Takeover”; and two, “NWA.” (If you want to know what that means, you can Google it. It’s straight outta Compton.) He was charged with being under the influence of a CDS and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Oct. 21
Officers Esteban Gonzalez and Jordenson Jean checked the registration of an illegally parked 2007 Pontiac they spotted at 3:30 p.m. near Kearny Ave. and the Pike and were advised that the driver’s license was suspended. That driver, Razzaq Williams, 19, of Irvington, was charged with that offense and failure to surrender a suspended license and was issued a summons for the parking violation.
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A parking violation led to another arrest by Gonzalez and Jean at 9 p.m., on the 300 block of Devon St., after they checked a double-parked driver for warrants.
Jacob Nash, 24, of Kearny, was found to have a $250 disorderly conduct warrant from Kearny, police said. He was released after posting the bail.
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At 9:40 p.m., Vice detectives observed Tomas Delarosa, 38, of Kearny, apparently ingesting a CDS from a small cigar on the 100 block of Brighton Ave.
Police said they were also aware of a $250 outstanding warrant from Newark. The cigar was allegedly found to contain marijuana. Delarosa was arrested for possession of pot and paraphernalia and on the warrant, and the Newark PD was notified.
– Karen Zautyk