Shortly after 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb 12, Officers Michael Santucci and Esteban Gonzalez were dispatched to Kearny and Laurel Aves. on the report of a disorderly group and a “fight brewing” at the intersection. They found a “very large” crowd, mainly juveniles, on the sidewalk and spilling out into the streets.
The group was loud and angry, and when the officers arrived, chants of “F— the police” began, KPD Chief John Dowie reported. The youths ignored orders to disperse and began to converge on the officers. One 14-year-old Kearny boy, in particular, was described as being “very aggressive and profane.” When he refused to cease and desist, he was placed under arrest, fought attempts to take him into custody and had to be thrown to the ground and forcibly cuffed, police said.
A call had gone out for additional KPD units, and responding Officer Vic Girdwood arrested a 17-year-old Kearny male, described as being “as hostile and profane as the 14-year-old.” During the second arrest, police said, they heard a metallic object hit the ground and recovered a cigarette lighter shaped like a gun.
The two youths were taken to headquarters and charged with disorderly conduct and curfew violation. In addition, the 14-year-old was charged with obstruction, resisting arrest and aggravated assault on a police officer.
(Editor’s note: The crowd was eventually dispersed and everyone went home, some of whom, we surmise, to tweet various juvenile whinges and whinings about the big, bad police.)
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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
Feb. 11
Sgt. Michael Gonzalez, on off-duty detail at ShopRite at 7 p.m., recognized Martin Sanchez, 34, of Newark, and confirmed that he had a $790 shoplifting warrant from Bloomfield. On-duty Officer Chris Manolis was dispatched to make the arrest. Sanchez was charged on the warrant and with possession of a hypodermic needle, and Kearny Judge Thomas D. McKeon tacked on another $1,000 bail, with no 10% option.
Feb. 14
Officers Sean Kelly and Daniel Lopez, on patrol at Davis Ave. and Tappan St. at 5 p.m., spotted Lawrence Greer, 49, of Kearny, confirmed he had four outstanding warrants and arrested him on same. These, police said, were: a $5,000 Newark warrant on a charge of possession of burglar tools; $500, Maplewood, theft-related; $250, Little Silver, interference with transportation; and $250, Kearny, failure to appear. After Greer was processed at HQ, the various jurisdictions were notified and Greer was transported to the Hudson County Jail.
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At 11:30 p.m., Officer Stephen Podolski responded to the QuickChek lot on the report of an individual passed out in a motor vehicle. There, police said, he found Ernesto Torres, 44, of Elizabeth, asleep at the wheel of a 2007 Dodge truck, with its engine running. After field sobriety tests, Torres was arrested and charged with DWI, refusal to take an Alcotest at HQ, and driving while suspended.
Feb. 16
At about 4 a.m., HQ received a call from a concerned citizen about a possible motor vehicle break-in in progress near Kearny and Woodland Aves. Officer Manolis and Sgt. Michael O’Neill searched the area and reportedly found Marc Zarnowski, 25, of Kearny, seated inside a black Dodge pick-up “which had signs of unlawful entry” — namely, a shattered driver’s-side window.
Ordered out of the vehicle and searched, Zarnowski was allegedly found to be in possession of three screwdrivers, a hammer and a pocketknife. Police said he also had shards of glass stuck to his clothing and that an attempt had been made to dismantle the steering column and ignition.
Zarnowski was charged with burglary, criminal attempt, criminal mischief and possession of burglar tools and was taken to the county jail that afternoon.
Feb. 17
At 3 a.m., Officer Jon Dowie was running random license plate checks at the Belleville Pike and Passaic Ave. when his mobile computer alerted him that the owner/operator of a 2010 Toyota had a suspended license. When he stopped the car, police said, he detected the odor of marijuana and found that driver Tiffany Cohen, 33, of Belleville, was in possession of a ziplock bag and a vaporizer, both containing suspected pot. Cohen was charged with possession of the drug and paraphernalia, possession of a CDS in a MV, driving while suspended and failure to surrender a suspended license.
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Officers Kelly and Lopez, in the area of Passaic and N. Midland Aves. at 9 a.m., observed Nicholas Hess, 37, of Kearny, on the abandoned train trestle over the Passaic River. Police said a check revealed he was wanted on a $3,000 drug-related warrant from Newark. He was arrested, taken to HQ and turned over to the Newark PD.
Feb. 18
At 5 p.m., at Kearny and Elizabeth Aves., Officer Richard Poplaski observed a turn-signal infraction by a 2002 Toyota, queried his computer and learned that operator Mohammad Hossain, 49, of Kearny, had a suspended license, police said. When the car was stopped and the driver was asked for his documents, he reportedly claimed he did not have his license with him and identified himself as Zakir Hossain from Long Island.
Poplaski again checked the computer and could find no license information on Zakir Hossain. However, he did find a driver’s license photo of Mohammad Hossain, which matched the man in the car, police said. At which point, the driver admitted his identity. He was arrested for driving while suspended, careless driving, hindering apprehension and on a $100 contempt warrant from Jersey City.
