On Jan. 11 at 9:01 a.m., police dispatch received several calls of a fight at a residence. Officer Travis Witt and several backup officers were dispatched. A 48-year-old woman reported she had an argument with her 54-year-old wife and the wife threw an iPhone at her, striking her in the face and lacerating her lip.
Officers arrested the wife on charges of simple assault and weapon possession.
She was later released with summonses.
On Jan. 9 at 9:53 a.m., Officer Sean Podolski was dispatched to the Walgreen’s at 248 Kearny Ave. on a report of a shoplifting. A store manager described a man to the officer who allegedly filled a bag with $354.19 worth of over-the-counter sleep aids and analgesics and then fled on a BMX bicycle without paying.
Officer Nick Funk located the suspect minutes later near 450 Bergen Ave. After further investigation, Officer Funk arrested Dana J. Gallagher, 45, of Carteret. Officers charged Gallagher with shoplifting. He was held at the Hudson County Jail on an arrest warrant issued by the Middlesex County Superior Court for violating a court order.
On Jan. 10 at 2:43 p.m., Officer Damian Kolodziej and several backup officers responded to a domestic dispute at a private home. There, a 17-year-old reported she had an argument with her 18-year-old boyfriend concerning fidelity and the argument got physical.
Specifically, the victim said the suspect blocked the door to keep her from leaving, then pushed her onto a bed where she hit her back. The suspect then reportedly hit her on the leg and grabbed her arms before brandishing a razor and threatening the victim. The victim was eventually able to talk her way out of the room and contact her mother, but she sustained lasting pain to her leg.
Officers arrested the suspect on charges of simple assault, terroristic threats, criminal restraint and weapon possession crimes. He was held at the Hudson County Jail.
On Jan. 11 at 8:51 a.m., Officer John Fearon and Sgt. Phil Finch were dispatched to a dispute at a residence. Officers were told Christopher D. Zapata, 25, of Belleville, came to the house to see the victim’s 31-year-old son. However, an argument broke out between the victim and Zapata in which Zapata allegedly threatened to come back with a gun and shoot the victim and her 16-year-old nephew.
Officers arrested Zapata on a charge of terroristic threats.
He was held at the county jail in South Kearny.
On Jan. 11 at 7:14 p.m., Officer Danny Maganinho took a report of domestic violence at police headquarters. A 39-year-old Kearny woman reported she has a restraining order against her 41-year-old co-parent who resides in North Arlington.
The victim reported the co-parent harassed her by calling her friends, family members, child’s school and therapist making claims to include that the victim is a prostitute and is promiscuous. The man was also alleged to have sent harassing videos to the victim’s family members.
When the suspect appeared at KPD HQ at 8 p.m. to exchange custody of the couple’s child (some parents exchange custody of their children in the police station lobby by court order or recommendation), officers arrested him.
The man was charged with contempt of court and also held on an outstanding Bloomfield Township arrest warrant charging contempt (no bail) from a separate incident.
The man was remanded to the Hudson County Jail.
On Jan. 12 at 3:45 p.m., Sgt. Jay Ward and Officers Fearon and Ellesse Ogando were dispatched to a report of two women shoplifting at ShopRite. A store manager alleged Ashley N. Anderson, 28, of Newark, avoided scanning certain merchandise at a self-checkout and placed “paid for” bags on top of unpaid items as a ruse.
She allegedly then tried to leave the store with $41.34 worth of unpaid-for merchandise.
The manager also reported witnessing Ieschia J. Cameron, 30, of East Orange, conceal snow crab legs worth $30.73 inside her jacket in an attempt to deprive the store of their retail value.
Both women were arrested and charged with shoplifting.
They were both later released with summonses.
On Jan. 12 at 9:43 p.m., Officer Anthony Oliveira queried the license plate of a double-parked Mercedes on Brighton Avenue and learned both the car’s registration and the owner’s license were suspended. When Officer Oliveira asked driver Roger H. Jaramillo, 34, of Elizabeth, to step out of the car, he said he saw a collection of empty Heineken beer bottles in the driver’s door compartment and backseat, and then found a small Ziploc bag containing white cocaine residue in Jaramillo’s pocket.
Officer Oliveira also found a glass “crack pipe” under the front passenger seat.
Jaramillo was arrested and charged by summons with possession of drug paraphernalia. He was issued traffic summonses for driving with a suspended license and registration, double parking, failure to surrender a suspended license, and open container of alcoholic beverage in a vehicle.
Jaramillo was later released.
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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.