CLOSTER, N.J.—Closter police arrested three individuals during a motor vehicle stop with heroin and needles in their car, apparently on the way home from picking up one of the defendants from a Paterson hospital after an apparent drug overdose, agency reports show.
In the police investigation reports reviewed by Northern Valley Press, one of the three suspects charged with heroin-related drug crimes June 23 requested an ambulance, complaining of withdrawal symptoms. Two days later, on June 25, the other two defendants were again arrested for heroin-related crimes, Closter Detective Keith Dombkowski said.
In the incident on June 23 at 2:38 a.m., Julia V. Catone, 20, of Closter was driving a car with two male occupants when she was stopped for multiple motor vehicle violations on Knickerbocker Road, the report states.
Patrolman Jorge Vela wrote that Catone appeared extremely nervous and was shaking; she had constricted pupils and shallow breathing. She told police they were coming from a friend’s house in Demarest, he said.
Vela wrote he observed in plain view syringes on the front passenger floorboard, an uncapped syringe in the rear passenger floorboard and glassine folds normally used to contain heroin.
Catone was observed to have electrocardiogram electrodes on her arm, as well as a hospital wristband, Vela wrote, adding that he detected the odor of alcohol on her breath and that she continued to act erratic and nervous.
The male passenger—Solomon Grauer, 20, of Easton, Pa.—was asked to exit the car, Vela wrote. He had visible track marks—or evidence of chronic intravenous drug use—and an odor of alcohol on his breath, Vela wrote. He was patted down with negative results. He told police that they were coming from 7-Eleven, Vela wrote.
A second passenger—Jesse S. Rachal, 19, of Apollo, Pa.—was asked to step out of the vehicle and also appeared nervous, with constricted pupils, Vela wrote. He told officers he had a knife on him, and it was recovered without incident. He was also found to have a cap to a needle.
Rachal told police they were coming from Paterson. He said Catone had just overdosed in Paterson and was released from St. Joseph’s Hospital, Vela wrote.
A search of the car yielded heroin stamped with “bang bang,” syringes, and an opened whisky bottle, Vela wrote.
Police soon found more heroin on the pavement near the trunk, and Rachal later surrendered eight folds of heroin located inside his boxers near his groin area, Vela wrote.
Placed under arrest, at headquarters Catone contacted a friend, who signed a John’s Law form, and she was released into his custody without incident. She was charged with possession of heroin, possession of a syringe, being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance and driving while intoxicated, according to the report. She was given a notice to appear at Hackensack Superior Court on July 17, the report said.
Grauer and Rachal were charged with possession of heroin, possession of a syringe and being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance, according to the report. Both are also due in Superior Court on July 17.
Grauer was processed and released. Rachal complained of having withdrawal symptoms and not feeling well, and requested an ambulance, the report said.
Two days later, Grauer and Catone were arrested again by Closter Police.
“Julia Catone and Solomon Grauer were arrested for a second time two days later on June 25,” Dombkowski told Northern Valley Press. “They were again charged with possession of heroin, possession of a hypodermic needle and possession of drug paraphernalia. The arrest stemmed from an incident in a business in the Heidenberg Plaza at approximately 8 a.m. [They] were charged and released on Closter complaint summonses with a first appearance scheduled for C.J.P. Court in Hackensack.”
