Editor’s notice: 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.
BERGEN COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE
Arrest made in alleged sexual assault of Norwood child – On Thursday, Dec. 14, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office received information that Joseph DiFalco, 67, of Kinnelon, had inappropriate sexual contact with a juvenile female.
As a result of the information received, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and Norwood Police Department initiated an investigation and DiFalco was arrested on Monday, Dec. 18 in Paramus, and charged with one count of sexual assault by sexual contact, a second degree crime, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a third degree crime.
DiFalco’s first appearance in Bergen County Central Judicial Processing Court was held on Dec. 19, at which time he was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a detention hearing scheduled for Friday, Dec. 22.
County Prosecutor Gurbir Grewal states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and would also like to thank the Norwood Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.
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NORTHVALE
Driver mistook train tracks for road — On Dec. 16, at about 10:15 a.m., Northvale officers responded to Clinton Avenue for a reported motor vehicle crash on the railroad tracks. An 87-year-old male from Northvale was driving south on Briarwood Lane toward Clinton Avenue. He attempted to brake as he approached the stop sign at the intersection but failed to do so and accelerated through the intersection over the embankment onto the railroad tracks.
A good samaritan was able to assist in removing removing the driver from the vehicle. Closter EMS responded and transported the patient for medical care. Northvale Fire Department with the assistance of the Tappan, N.Y., Fire Department, were able to assist the tow company in removing the vehicle from the tracks.
Driver was passed out behind the wheel — On Dec. 11 at about 4:10 p.m., Northvale police officers were dispatched to the intersection of Briarwood Lane and Paulding Avenue for a reported driver passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle.
Upon arrival Northvale officers observed the vehicle stopped at the stop sign on Briarwood Lane and the rear brake lights on the suspect vehicle were illuminated. As officers approached the vehicle, they observed the driver, a 23- year-old male from Northvale, slumped over in the driver’s seat, and in his lap appeared to be drug paraphernalia.
After the driver was awakened, he was removed from the vehicle. Further investigation revealed the driver to be in possession of numerous drug paraphernalia items indicative of narcotic use and a green leafy vegetation believed to be raw marijuana.
The driver was asked to perform standard field sobriety tests, which he was unable to complete successfully. He was then placed in custody and transported to police headquarters for processing.
After processing he was released to a responsible party and issued the following summonses: one count of possession of a Schedule I narcotic; one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance; one count of under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance; one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
He was also issued motor vehicle summones for driving while intoxicated, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle and delaying traffic.
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Brooklyn teens had marijuana – On Dec. 13, at about 1:20 a.m. a Northvale officer observed a vehicle traveling through the Citgo Gas Station lot located at 258 Livingston St. At this time of the night the establishment is closed for business.
The vehicle then went behind the building and proceeded to exit onto Livingston Street, where the Northvale officer activated his emergency lights and executed a motor vehicle stop in the lot of 260 Livingston St.
Upon approaching the suspect vehicle the officer immediately detected the odor of raw marijuana emanating from the interior of the vehicle. The driver, an 18-year-old male from Brooklyn, N.Y., and passengers, an 18- year-old man from the Bronx, N.Y., and an 18-year-old male from Staten Island, N.Y., were all asked to exit the vehicle.
Further investigation yielded a mason jar containing a green leafy vegetation believed to be raw marijuana located in the rear passenger section of the vehicle.
All three individuals were taken into custody and transported to Northvale Police Headquarters for processing.
The Brooklyn resident was charged with one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and one count of possession of a forged document, as he possessed a fraudulent Rhode Island driver’s license. The Bronx resident and the Staten Island resident were each charged with one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
Northvale man arrested for bad checks — On Dec. 14, Northvale detectives arrested a 51-year-old male from Northvale after receiving complaints of a possible financial scam in excess of $29,000.
After further investigation the subject was taken into custody and charged with two counts of bad checks. He was released on his own recognizance.
Unconscious man had taken heroin — On Dec. 15 at 12:19 a.m., Northvale officers responded to a 911 call from the Northvale Diner located at 247 Livingston St. for a reported unconscious male. Upon arrival, officers located an unconscious male on the floor of the entranceway to the diner. The male exhibited a faint pulse, shallow respiration and was unresponsive to pain stimuli. A check of the patient’s eyes showed pinpoint pupils.
One dose of Narcan was administered to the patient. The 34-year-old male, from Northvale, became responsive and then combative to officer’s minutes later. The patient later admitted to ingesting heroin and drinking alcohol and mouthwash throughout the day. Northvale EMS responded and transported the patient to the hospital.
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PALISADES INTERSTATE PARKWAY POLICE
Van overturns; six extricated — On Dec. 17 shortly after 3 p.m., the department reported a roll over crash with injuries southbound of Interchange 2.
There were six total injuries after a vehicle overturned through the guardrail and into the woods. All victims were extricated with non-life threatening injuries and transported to area hospitals. The left lane was closed to traffic.