KEARNY –
Interesting day for the Kearny PD on Thursday, Jan. 12.
Officers recorded three separate arrests — simultaneously. Each incident occurring at noon.
One job was in South Kearny, where Officer Daniel Esteves came upon a 2002 Chrysler that had crashed at Hackensack Ave. and Rts. 1&9. When driver Tarique Holmes, 25, of Jersey City was asked for his credentials, he reportedly produced an ID-only license number and an expired insurance card.
Police said he was found to have a suspended license and two outstanding warrants: from Bayonne, $500, reckless driving; Elmwood Park, $200, DWI. He was arrested on those and for driving while suspended and received summonses for being unlicensed and failure to exhibit current proof of insurance.
The second arrest came courtesy of Det. Michael Farinola, who had been investigating an Oct. 25 burglary to a commercial van on Midland Ave. — tools and credit cards taken — and had developed as a suspect Jason Morse, 36, of Newton. Morse was taken into custody at noon on the 12th and charged with burglary, theft and credit card theft.
Arrest No 3 was of Christopher Ochoa, 20, of Kearny, whom the Vice Unit observed walking in the area of Johnston and Passaic Aves. with what appeared to be a knife protruding from his waistband, police said. When the officers stopped him at Johnston and Lincoln Aves., a pat-down reportedly found him to be in possession of a large, orange-handled machete. He was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes and was taken to the Hudson County Jail.
[Editor’s note: The illustration that accompanies this article does not depict the actual confiscated machete, but rather is offered as an example of the general type of weapon in question. Due to a recent directive by the Hudson County Prosecutor, The Observer no longer has ready access to evidence photos — or mug shots. Which is why you’ve haven’t see a mug shot with the KPD blotter for several weeks. We are aware that you miss them.]
