By Karen Zautyk
KEARNY — Shortly after 11 p.m. on Oct. 5, Officers Jonathan Dowie, David Bush, Michael Gontarczuk, Sean Podolski and Capt. David Feldhan responded to a report of a large commotion at the intersection of Kearny and Bergen Aves. — said commotion apparently having started in a nearby bar.
The center of attention, police said, was Ryan Vernotico, 29, of Summit, who “appeared to be highly intoxicated and extremely aggressive.” When Dowie requested the gentleman’s I.D., the response reportedly was, “F you, bro.”
Police said others in the group stated that Vernotico had been disruptive in the tavern, was asked to leave several times, refused to do so, and a shoving match had ensued and spilled out into the street.
When informed that he was no longer welcome in the bar, he allegedly began screaming profanities, ignored police orders to cease and desist and threatened patrons and management.
Given one last chance to leave the scene, Vernotico, reportedly removed his shirt and began screaming louder. Officers politely offered him an official form in case he wished to file a complaint against the establishment that had barred him, but police said he threw it on the ground and (wait for it) spit on it.
That being the last straw, Vernotico was arrested for disorderly conduct but allegedly continued his defiant behavior at KPD headquarters while being booked. Police said that “due to his state of intoxication, he was taken [by the KPD] to Jersey City Medical Center for his own well-being.”
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Other recent reports from the Kearny police blotter included the following:
Oct. 5
At 7:45 p.m., at Kearny and Bergen, Officer Dowie, with Bush as back-up, stopped a 1998 Nissan for having an obstructed rear license plate and was advised by HQ that driver Cristobal Mosquera, 23, of Kearny, was the subject of a Hudson County Sheriff’s Office no-bail NCIC drug warrant, police said.
Mosquera was also allegedly found to have a marijuana cigarette, so he was additionally charged with possession of pot/paraphernalia and possession of a CDS in a MV, and the HCSO was notified.
Oct. 7
Officers Esteban Gonzalez, Jose Perez and Tim Castle responded to a 9 p.m. report of an unwelcome guest in a second-floor apartment on the 100 block of Midland Ave. Police said the female resident had returned home to find that a “past acquaintance” had apparently illegally entered the premises — a theory seemingly substantiated by a ladder cops found placed against the building.
Inside, they said they found Joel Aviles, 27, of Scotch Plains, who was arrested for criminal trespass.
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At 10:30 p.m., Officers Perez and Mina Ekladious were sent to a possible road-rage incident at Chestnut and Boyd Sts., where they reportedly found “dueling Hondas.” Police said a 23-year-old Kearny woman operating an ‘08 said she had been trying to park when David Burgos, 37, of Kearny blocked her with his ’07 and refused to move.
The cops separated the parties, and during questioning, Ekladious reportedly spotted, in plain view in Burgos’ car, a capsule containing a white substance. Burgos was charged with possession of CDS and paraphernalia, possession of CDS in a MV and failure to make lawful disposition of a CDS.
Oct. 9
Officers Gontarczuk and Chris Manolis responded to a 6:40 p.m. one-vehicle accident at Rt. 7 and Fish House Road, where they found that a 2008 Nissan had hit a divider and was now sitting perpendicular in the roadway, blocking two eastbound lanes.
Police said driver Derek Gaters, 28, of North Arlington, was found to have a suspended license and, following field sobriety tests and an Alcotest, was additionally charged with DWI, careless driving and having an open container of alcohol in a MV.
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At 8:20 p.m., the attention of Officer Jose Castillo, on off-duty uniformed detail at BJ’s, was drawn to a disorderly customer in the store, police said. Dispatched to the scene by HQ, Officer Jason Rodrigues arrested the man, Eliseo Oller, 20, of Bayonne, on a $250 North Arlington contempt warrant, and the NAPD was notified.
Oct. 10
Officer Bush, on patrol at Passaic Ave. and the Belleville Pike at 10:40 p.m., ran a computer check on a passing 2013 Audi and found that the registered owner had a suspended license, police said.
Owner/driver David Oesterreicher, 45, of Hasbrouck Heights, was charged with DWS (driving while suspended) and, thanks to a plastic bag reportedly recovered from the center console, also with possession of pot/paraphernalia.
