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.
MONTVALE
Huff Park vandalized
– On Aug. 7, Officer Jeff Hanna responded to reports of property damage at Huff Park playground. Upon arrival, he observed a child swing that was cut, a piece of equipment marked “tree house,” and several plastic rings that had been burned. The DPW was notified, and will be refastening the playground.
Driver had marijuana in car
– On Aug. 11, Officer Matthew Vladick was traveling north on Chestnut Ridge Road when he spotted a car without a front license plate. The officer also saw that the rear license plate was obstructed, and pulled the car over on Chestnut Road. The driver, a 25-year-old from Rockaway, N.Y., conversed with the officer long enough for him to smell raw marijuana coming from the car. He noticed a Zip-Lock bag of marijuana in the passenger seat, and the driver gave the bag to the officer. After the driver stated that nothing illegal was in his car prior to the confiscation of his marijuana, officers found a burnt joint in plain view. No further contraband was found. The driver was placed under arrest, and released pending his charges. The driver faces possession charges, for which he will appear in court.
PARK RIDGE
Suspended driver pulled over, led to marijuana bust
– On Aug. 8 at 12:04 p.m., Officer Scott Laughton was stopped at a red light on Kinderkamack Road, behind a blue Ford Explorer. When he conducted a random license plate check, he found the registered 30-year-old man from Pearl River, N.Y., had several summonses, including an arrest record for driving with a suspended license. After confirming that the driver was still suspended, he caught up to the suspect and pulled him over on Pascack Road. The officer was able to match the driver to the background based on a mug shot taken during his previous arrest. The driver’s girlfriend, who was in the passenger seat, stated that she was the registered owner of the car, and knew her boyfriend was suspended for a DWI and required an interlock device in order to drive. During the conversation, the officer smelled burnt marijuana coming from both occupants of the car. The passenger said she smoked earlier, and the driver admitted to smoking the night before. A search of the truck yielded a metal pipe with residue inside, which the driver claimed ownership of. The driver was arrested for marijuana possession and, in sum, was charged for driving while suspended, driving without an interlock device, driving without a license, and driving with marijuana in the car. The passenger was charged for knowingly allowing an unlicensed driver (who requires an interlock device) to use her car, as well as having no insurance or registration for the vehicle.
WESTWOOD
Driver caught had alcohol in car during morning traffic stop
– On Aug. 15 at 10:45 a.m., an officer traveling north on Broadway noticed a black Ford tailgating a vehicle going south on Broadway. The officer conducted a U-turn to follow the car, which was then observed making an unsafe lane change. The officer conducted a motor vehicle stop at Old Hook Road at Kinderkamack Road. The driver – a 56-year-old woman from River Edge, was asked the driver for her credentials; while speaking with her, the officer detected the odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from the vehicle. The driver was able to turn over her documents. The officer called for back-up. The driver was asked to step out of her vehicle and perform standard field sobriety tests, which she was unable to complete in a satisfactory manor, so she was placed under arrest. After the woman was placed in the police vehicle, officers retrieved a large big-gulp cup placed in a car cup holder that contained alcohol. The woman was transported to headquarters, where Alco-tests confirmed she had a 0.17 blood alcohol content. The woman was charged with driving while intoxicated, unsafe lane change, tailgating, failure to signal, careless driving, possession an open container of alcohol and consumption of alcohol inside a motor vehicle. The woman was released to a responsible party pending a court appearance.
Speeding driver found to be intoxicated
– On Aug. 12 at 9:55 p.m., an officer on patrol was traveling on west on Old Hook Road when he observed an eastbound sedan traveling at a high rate of speed. The officer activated his radar and confirmed the vehicle to be traveling at 57 mph in a 40 mph zone. The officer performed a U-Turn and followed the vehicle into a commercial parking lot, where he conducted a motor vehicle stop. While speaking with the driver – a 28-year-old man from Paterson – he detected the odor of an alcohol beverage emanating from the vehicle, and he observed the driver’s eyes to be both watery and bloodshot. The driver couldn’t seem to find his documents, but did have an expired license, which the officer took to confirm his identity. The officer had the driver perform some pre-exit sobriety tests, which he could not perform satisfactorily. The officer requested backup, and the driver was asked to exit the vehicle and perform some standard field sobriety tests, which he failed to complete satisfactorily. The driver was taken to police headquarters, where Alco-tests confirmed his blood alcohol content was 0.17. The man was charged with driving while intoxicated, speeding, maintenance of lamps, improper turn at a traffic signal, failure to exhibit registration and failure to exhibit insurance. He was later released to a responsible party pending a court appearance.