This section is based on data provided to the Northern Valley Press by neighborhood police departments. Due to pending court appearances and other variations, the following information shall be read in “press time” context.
CLOSTER, N.J.—On March 7 at 11:08 a.m., Patrolman Jorge Vela was sitting in the parking lot off the Demaree Homestead Farm on Old Hook Road, when he observed a grey vehicle on Schraalenburgh Road turn without signaling.
Vela also observed the vehicle had a cracked windshield; he obtained its registration and began following it.
Vela conducted a motor vehicle stop and approached the vehicle on the passenger’s side. The driver, a 26-year-old man from Saylorsburg, Pa., was asked to provide his license, registration and proof of insurance.
As he was gathering his documents, Vela detected an odor of raw marijuana emanating from the vehicle. Backup was requested and Sgt. Vincent Sarubbi responded.
The driver appeared to be extremely nervous and was breathing heavily. He was searching around the car for his registration and proof of insurance—but was avoiding the center console. After several minutes of this, Vela advised him to produce his driver’s license.
The driver stated he only had a state identification out of Pennsylvania. The driver stopped searching for the rest of the documents and Vela again asked him to produce the registration and insurance card, advising him it may be in the center console.
The driver opened the center console, reached in, and quickly closed it. Vela advised him that he detected an odor of raw marijuana emanating from the vehicle and would be searching it upon his backup officer’s arrival.
Sarubbi and Patrolman Joseph Sanfilippo arrived. The driver was asked to step out of the vehicle and stand on the snow covered grass away from the roadway. He was advised that Vela had detected an odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle and would be searching it. The driver stated that there was marijuana in the center console. He was searched for any weapons and contraband, but had none.
A search of the vehicle yielded marijuana in a prescription bottle located in the center console.
The evidence was secured and the driver was arrested. He was handcuffed, searched and placed in the rear of a police vehicle. His car was towed.
The Pennsylvania man was processed and released. He’s charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, and was issued summonses for failure to signal and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle.