KEARNY –
At 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19, Sgt. Chris Levchak and Officers Chris Medina, Chris Manolis and Andre Fernandes responded to a report of an assault in progress at Brighton Ave. and Afton St. and arrived to find a man lying in the middle of the avenue “rambling incoherently.” Because of that, and a laceration on his wrist, Kearny EMS was summoned.
So what was going on?
Police said the officers were approached by a 75-year-old Kearny man who told them he had been backing his car out of his driveway when the man in the street got into the passenger side, demanded to be taken to a hospital, threatened to kill him and then tried to take the keys from the ignition.
Somehow [we don’t know how] the driver managed to get the man — identified as Ranulfo Almeida, 35, of Kearny — out of the vehicle and called 911.
Almeida was arrested, but given his injury [we don’t know how his wrist got cut], he was taken to St, Michael’s Medical Center, Newark, treated and released — into police custody.
Almeida was brought to KPD headquarters and charged with carjacking and making terroristic threats.
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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
Aug. 19
Officer Michael Gontarczuk, on patrol near Midland Ave. and Chestnut St. at 2:45 a.m., came upon a 2008 Nissan Altima, reportedly with its engine running, one wheel on the sidewalk, music blaring at “an ear-deafening volume” and — despite the din — Terrell Townes, 32, of Orange, sound asleep in the driver’s seat. After banging on the windows, the officer was eventually able to awaken him. Asked for his vehicle documents, Townes reportedly produced a Social Security card. [Perhaps Nissans are eligible for SocSec benefits. We shall have to look into that.]
Following field sobriety tests and a Alcotest at HQ, Townes was charged with DWI, DWI in a school zone and driving while suspended, He also got a
summons for parking on the sidewalk.
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At 1 p.m., Officer Sean Wilson, responded to a report of an assault near Walmart and, at Harrison and Greenfield Aves., observed a male beating a female, police said. When Wilson interceded, the alleged assailant — Nasir Newsome, 21, of Newark — pushed the officer in the chest and tried to run, police said. Wilson managed to cuff him, but Newsome reportedly fought attempts to get him into the patrol car. Back-up arrived and put him in the vehicle, but police said he then complained of a medical condition and was taken to Jersey City Medical Center.
The victim, a 20-year-old East Orange woman who reportedly suffered facial injuries and chest pains, was taken to East Orange Medical Center.
After his visit to JCMC, Newsome was headed for the Hudson County Jail on a no-bail Newark warrant for making terroristic threats and on Kearny charges of assault on the woman, aggravated assault on a police officer and resisting arrest.
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Units were called to the 500 block of Chestnut St. at 11:20 p.m. on a report that an apparently intoxicated man had tried to break into a residence through the back door. Officers Medina, Fernandes and Rich Pawlowski obtained a description of the suspect and soon apprehended Derek Gaters, 28, of North Arlington, who was identified by the homeowner, police said.
Gaters was arrested on a charge of criminal attempted burglary and on a $1,500 full-bail motor vehicle warrant from Clifton.
Aug. 21
Officers Medina and Gontarczuk responded to a 1:30 a.m. report of a male-female disturbance in the area of Quincy Ave. and Elm St. and encountered the woman, who said a male acquaintance had taken her cell phone and fled. About a block away, they found Hugo Ramirez, 30, of Perth Amboy, who did relinquish the phone, police reported. He was arrested anyway — on a no-bail contempt warrant from the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office, which was notified to come and fetch him from KPD HQ.
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A report of yet another snoozing driver, this one slumped over the wheel of a 2013 Toyota at 3:15 a.m., brought Officer Derek Hemphill to Belgrove Drive and Bergen Ave., where the still-running car was parked on the sidewalk, police said. With Officer Medina a back-up, FSTs were conducted. An Alcotest was then administered at HQ, and Jorge Minano, 46, of Harrison, was booked for DWI, DWI in a school zone, reckless driving and driving on the sidewalk.
— Karen Zautyk
