KEARNY –
A 26-year-old Kearny man spent Christmas in the Hudson County Jail, and unless Santa showed up with 10% of $70,000 bail, he is likely still there.
Authorities said this Yuletide story began Dec. 14, when, shortly after 5 p.m., a man entered a restaurant on the 200 block of Kearny Ave. and placed an order to go. When the food was ready, the customer advised the proprietor that he would pay for it on Friday. (Dec. 14 was a Wednesday.) Told that this was not acceptable, police said the customer became hostile, at first verbally, then with punches and kicks.
Ultimately, police said, the patron hurled a full pot of hot coffee at the owner, burning the victim’s head and upper back. As other employees rushed to their boss’ rescue, the perp ran out the door.
KPD Officer John Donovan gathered the initial information, and Det. Bryant Obie conducted the follow-up investigation, developing as a suspect Kearny resident Crosby Salas-Perez. Police said he was identified by the victim and warrants were drawn up on charges including aggravated assault and criminal mischief.
At 3 a.m. on Christmas Eve, all was not calm and bright on the 200 block of Chestnut St., where Officers Jason Rodrigues, David Bush and Jonathan Dowie were called to a dispute at a residence. One of the parties turned out to be Salas-Perez, who was promptly arrested on the two Kearny warrants ($35,000/10% each), along with a $1,000 (full) warrant from Harrison on a criminal-trespass charge.
Salas-Perez was booked and taken to the county jail. (Do inmates get coal in the stockings?)
