CRESSKILL, N.J.—On May 7 at about 10:14 p.m., police officer Paul Connelly observed a dark-colored SUV go through a stop sign at Hillside Avenue and Engle Street. The vehicle quickly accelerated and was clocked at 48 mph. Connelly activated his emergency lights and stopped the vehicle, which had turned left onto Holland Avenue.
Sgt. Jeremy Luciano arrived as backup. Connnelly approached the vehicle’s driver side and asked the driver, later identified as a 30-year-old man from West New York, for license, registration and insurance. As the driver handed over his license and registration, he then said he was driving while suspended. Connelly detected an odor of raw marijuana in the vehicle and he then asked him to exit the vehicle.
The driver told Connelly he had not smoked anything but was unsure if his passengers had any marijuana on them as they had come from the front-seat passenger’s father’s home who does smoke cannabis and holds a medical marijuana card.
Connelly searched the driver and found nothing while Sgt. Luciano spoke with the front-seat passenger, a 24-year-old woman from Cresskill, who stated no marijuana was in the vehicle and that her father had a medical marijuana card. Meanwhile, Patrol Officer Michael Poling arrived on scene.
Upon searching the vehicle, Connelly found a brown pill bottle containing marijuana in the center console with the driver’s name on it. The driver said the marijuana was not his.
A pack of rolling papers was also found in the console. Connelly found an empty bottle labeled “Moon Rocks” in a black backpack in the rear passenger area and the passenger said the bottle contained pre-rolled blunts. Connelly then found a pack of rolling papers on the passenger seat where she was sitting.
On the passenger side floor, Connelly found a white plastic bag with a clear sandwich bag inside containing marijuana and also medicinal cannabis candy gummy bears. After questioning by Connelly, the passenger said the bag found by the front passenger seat belonged to her. She also admitted to owning the marijuana in the pill bottle. “Yes all the marijuana is mine,” she told Connelly, according to his report.
The passenger was placed under arrest, read her rights by Sgt. Luciano and transported to headquarters. The driver was advised to lock up his vehicle and he would be issued summonses to be picked up at police headquarters when the passenger was released.
The passenger was processed at headquarters and released. She was issued summonses for possession of a controlled dangerous substance and intent to use drug paraphernalia to use CDS. She was given a June 6 court date at Cresskill Municipal Court.