CLOSTER, N.J.—On July 11 at 11:57 p.m., Patrolman Michael Archer was observing traffic on Piermont Road when he saw a grey sedan with an object hanging from the rear view mirror, violating a state statute mandating windshields be unobstructed.
Archer followed then stopped the vehicle at Piermont Road and Maple Street. As he approached the female driver and passenger, he requested the driver’s credentials and detected the odor of marijuana emanating from within the vehicle.
Archer asked the women if either had ever been arrested, to which the driver stated that she had, for possession of marijuana.
Patrolman Jorge Vela and Sgt. Vincent Sarubbi arrived on scene as backup. Both vehicle occupants were asked to step out of the vehicle, and asked if there was anything illegal inside the vehicle. They both said there was not.
Archer then conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle due to the odor of marijuana. The search yielded multiple marijuana roaches in the ash tray, a Tylenol bottle containing one baggie of a white powder, identified as cocaine, and multiple baggies with cocaine residue and straws containing cocaine residue.
Both parties—who were not identified in a police report shared with Northern Valley Press—were arrested and transported to police headquarters without incident. There, Officer Emily Santos of the Palisades Interstate Parkway Police responded to headquarters to search both defendants, with negative results.
Both were charged with possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver was also issued summonses for obstruction of view and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle.
