On Oct. 20 at 2:08 a.m., Officer Anthony Oliveira and several back-up officers were dispatched to a donnybrook at the Donegal Saloon that escalated into a stabbing. Responding officers found a 32-year-old Kearny man seated inside the saloon with another man holding pressure to a stab wound to the victim’s abdomen.
Officers began packing the wound with gauze until EMS took over and transported the victim to University Hospital, Newark, where he was last reported in stable condition.
Bar-goers told officers two known men entered the bar just before closing and “started trouble” with other patrons. The men were asked to leave and were escorted out by at least two men (patrons) as the bartender locked the door for closing. A few minutes later, the victim alerted the bartender he had been stabbed outside.
Officer Danny Maganinho broadcast a description of a vehicle he saw speeding from the scene. Officer Luis Cazares quickly found the suspected vehicle and pulled it over at Belleville Turnpike and Passaic Avenue. After further investigation, Officer Cazares arrested the two occupants in connection with the Donegal affray.
Officers charged Angel N. “Cookie” Rodriguez Jr., 27, of Newark, with aggravated assault, conspiracy (to commit aggravated assault) and weapon possession offenses. Due to his computerized public-safety assessment score, a derivative of criminal justice reform law, the alleged stabber was released with a summons.
Jorge E. Gonzalez, 34, of North Arlington, was charged with conspiracy (to commit aggravated assault). Due to his computerized public safety assessment score, Gonzalez held on a warrant at the Hudson County jail.
On Oct. 16 at 6:45 p.m., Officer Thomas Collins was dispatched to a shoplifting at ShopRite. A store manager accused Towanna A. Marshall, 55, of Newark, of taking a shopping cart full of merchandise to the self-checkout register. There, she allegedly paid for some merchandise and then placed it back over top of other merchandise for which she had not paid, in effect concealing the unpaid-for merchandise. The value of stolen groceries, toiletries and socks totaled $65.65.
Officer Collins and Det. Jordenson Jean arrested Marshall for shoplifting. She was later released with a summons.
On Oct. 18 at 11:41 a.m., Officer Jordan Miranda responded to a shoplifting at the Walgreens at 248 Kearny Ave. The suspect fled the store but was quickly located near 141 Kearny Ave. by Officer Sean Podolski. The man, identified as Paul E. Spana, 57, of Kearny, was accused by Walgreens of stealing $339.93 worth of PureRelief heating pads. Officer Podolski arrested Spana and recovered the stolen heating pads. Spana was charged with shoplifting and sent to the Hudson County Jail, South Kearny.
On Oct. 19 at 9:25 a.m., Det. Jean was checking on a group congregated in front of Dunkin’ Donuts on Kearny Avenue, a site of quality-of-life complaints. Det. Jean noticed Brett A. Williams, 20, of Kearny, exited with unusual haste upon seeing the detective. On a hunch, Det. Jean checked Williams for outstanding arrest warrants and found Williams was wanted for a terroristic threats charge out of Hudson County.
At 2 p.m., Det. Jean returned to the area and saw Williams was back at his post in the company of several males. Det. Jean arrested Williams and the crowd self-dispersed. Williams was later turned over to the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office.
On Oct. 19 at 10:13 a.m., Officers Pedro Pina, Esteban Gonzalez, John Donovan and Sgt. Jay Ward responded to a father-son domestic dispute at a private home. The father, 43, said he asked his 20-year-old son not to smoke marijuana in the home. The son reportedly came into the bedroom where his father was resting, jumped onto the bed and kicked his father in the ribs and right leg, causing him pain.
Officers arrested the son for simple assault and lodged him in the county jail.
The father refused EMS and transported himself to a local hospital.
On Oct. 19 at 9:18 p.m., Officers Thomas Collins, Bryan SanMartin, Taylor Latka and Sgt. Dean Gasser were dispatched to a bloody domestic dispute in the basement apartment of a multifamily home. Initial details were sketchy, but it seems a married couple had an argument over use of a bathroom that became violent.
The 23-year-old wife said her husband pushed her, causing a bloody gash to her chin. The 25-year-old husband said his wife hit him over the head with a glass bowl, shattering the bowl and cutting the top of his head.
Both combatants were arrested. She was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was charged with simple assault. The couple were later released with summonses.
On Oct. 19 at midnight, Officer Bismark Karikari attempted to serve a 25-year-old Kearny man with a temporary restraining order filed against him by his live-in aunt. The man was not located, but a half hour later, KPD received a call the man arrived at his aunt’s apartment, kicked the door in, collected his belongings and then left.
Officer Karikari found the man walking on Passaic Avenue and arrested him without incident. He charged the man with criminal mischief and harassment and served him with the restraining order. The man was transferred to the county jail in South Kearny.
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Capt. Timothy Wagner | Kearny Police Department
Capt. Timothy Wagner is the Kearny Police Department's public-information officer and the commander of the department's Internal Affairs Unit. He contributes the KPD Blotter weekly and writes it completely.