A dog that got loose from its home attacked a baby being pushed in a stroller along Walnut St. March 25, the Nutley Police Department reported.
The dog severely injured the baby — and at a hospital, the baby had three days of plastic surgery to her right leg. The 11-month-old girl also required 70 stitches from the injuries.
Det. Sgt. Anthony Montanari, the NPD’s public-information officer, said the father of the baby said the dog was a pit bull. Pending further review, it is possible the dog may be put down, Montanari said.
“We are at the beginning of what I presume is going to be a legal issue — both civilly and possibly criminally,” Montanari told The Observer.
The dog, meanwhile, was to be quarantined for 10 days and its owner was issued summonses charging him with violating the dog licensing law, running at large prohibited and having a viscous dog, the NPD said.
The summonses come with a mandatory court appearance, the police said.
Meanwhile, the NPD released the following reports of incidents that occurred between March 25 and April 1:
March 25
- Lisa Bellotti, 32, of Bayonne, was arrested on Passaic Ave. after a motor-vehicle stop and charged with possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of hypodermic needles.
Bellotti was released on her own recognizance and was advised of a mandatory court date.
- Robert Narvaez, 46, of Newark, was arrested on Hetherington Road and issued tickets charging him with drunken driving, failure to exhibit a driver’s license, blocking a driveway and impeding traffic.
Police said they were advised of a man slumped over a steering wheel in a parked car. When police arrived, they said they found Narvaez breathing but unresponsive. EMS transported him to a hospital where he was evaluated.
March 26
- A Wesley Place resident was surprised when he got a call from the NPD that his vehicle had been recovered in Newark. The owner told police he wasn’t aware his car had even been stolen.
That same day, a different car was broken into on the same street. Taken were a bag of cigars, loose change and single dollar bills. The car had apparently been left unlocked.
March 27
Michael Iaccarino, 24, of Nutley, was arrested on Washington Ave. and issued tickets charging him with drunken driving within 1,000 feet of a school zone, failure to maintain a lane, making an improper turn at a red light and careless driving. Iaccarino was released on his own recognizance, pending a mandatory court appearance.
March 29
Dragos Chihaia, 49, of Nutley, was arrested on Franklin Ave. and charged with making terroristic threats and disorderly conduct after a dispute. Chihaia’s bail was set at $2,500, with a 10% option, but he couldn’t post it — so he was remanded to the Essex County Jail.
March 30
Jared Garzone, 38, of Sussex, was arrested on Passaic Ave. on an outstanding Pequannock warrant. Garzone posted 10% of his bail and was later released, pending a new court date in Pequannock.
— Kevin Canessa Jr.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.