Two injured as woman, 86, strikes curb, car, bus stop
A pedestrian was among two people injured after a woman from Pearl River, N.Y. lost control of her Honda Civic and struck another car and a New Jersey Transit bus stop shelter on the early afternoon of Feb. 12.
According to the police report, the driver, 86, of Crooked Hill Road, was seen by several witnesses running into the curb southbound on Kinderkamack Road.
On striking the curb, the driver hit the accelerator instead of the brake pedal, and she accelerated across the road and struck the driver’s side of a Honda CRV driven by a Bardonia, N.Y. man, 55.
The Civic continued on, striking the bus shelter, where two local people, both 22, were standing. One received minor injuries, as did the woman driving the Civic.
Police said neither alcohol nor drugs were factors in the mishap.
‘Boss’ wanted man, 78, to buy $2K in gift cards
A Maynard Drive man arrived at headquarters on Feb. 27 to report a suspicious occurrence: He said he had received an email from whom he thought was his boss asking him to purchase $2,000 in gift cards and send him the PIN numbers on a supplied form.
The man, 78, bought the gift cards. Receiving an unrelated call from his boss, he asked whether he would prefer to receive the PIN numbers over the phone. Of course his boss had no idea what he was talking about.
The police report reads in part, “There was no monetary loss, as [the victim] stated he can use the gift cards.”
The victim brought a copy of the email—which on inspection shows that it was fraudulent—to headquarters. Detectives were notified.
Woman said under the influence was ‘kind of lost.’
An officer on an unrelated motor vehicle stop on the night of Feb. 23 observed a 2013 Jeep Pilot travelling south on Pascack Road toward his location, driving erratically.
The officer followed, observing the Jeep swaying within its lane. As they approached Our Lady of Mercy Church, the Jeep pulled to the curb line and stopped.
The officer activated his emergency lights for scene safety as he contacted Central Dispatch to advise of his location and that he was with a possibly disabled motor vehicle.
The driver appeared impaired, with slow and lethargic movements, activating the windshield washer spray rather than lowering the windows. The interior of the car smelled strongly of alcoholic beverage.
When questioned, the driver said “everything is fine” and that she was “kind of lost” attempting to go back home to Washington Township from her date in Pearl River, New York.
Her eyes were bloodshot and watery. Prompted to recite part of the alphabet, she said “I could definitely say the alphabet better if I stayed with my friend tonight.” The officer replied, “You’re not at your friend’s house, you’re on the side of the road,” and that he needed to ensure she was safe to drive.
The defendant refused to complete the alphabet test. The officer asked whether she’d be more comfortable counting instead, and she said no.
The defendant was walked to the parking lot for field sobriety tests. While walking, the officer detected the odor of burnt marijuana emanating from her person. When questioned,the defendant said she had been with people who were smoking marijuana.
She failed both tests and the results were recorded. Them she was arrested for driving under the influence. She was handcuffed, and a search turned up greenish vegetation believed to be marijuana in her front left jacket pocket.
A search of her car turned up a wallet in a backpack on the front passenger seat with more greenish vegetation believed to be marijuana, as well as numerous prescription pills that were legally prescribed to the driver.
The car was towed.
The defendant was transported to headquarters, where she was processed and gave breath samples for testing. She also phoned someone to pick her up.
The complaint and motor vehicle summonses are returnable to the Court on March 25. She left with her friend, but returned the next day to claim her Jeep.