WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—Police patrolling south on Chestnut Ridge Road on Sept. 29 at 1:12 a.m. passed a silver Acura with a headlight out on Tice Boulevard at Chestnut Ridge Road.
As the officer caught up to the vehicle it pulled into the empty lot of McLaren Engineering, 530 Chestnut Ridge Road.
INFOCOP informed the officer that the registered owner of the Acura was suspended from driving. The driver, 29, from Union City, who was the registered owner, provided his license and registration but was unable to provide valid insurance.
He said he’d just come from a work emceeing and dancing at the Hilton. Then he said he was an actor and had been away working on a movie. He speculated he was suspended over parking tickets left unpaid while he was away filming.
“I observed [the defendant] to be extremely nervous, shaking uncontrollably. I requested… backup,” the officer reports.
When backup arrived, the defendant confirmed his vehicle was uninsured. He said he had nothing illegal in the car, then called a friend to pick him up.
“I again asked if he had anything illegal in the vehicle and addressed his extremely nervous and shaking demeanor. He replied this was his normal demeanor and because he had just finished dancing,” the report says.
Officers said they saw in the car rolling paper commonly used for smoking marijuana. The defendant admitted to smoking marijuana earlier but said he had nothing in the car. He consented to a search.
After patting down the defendant, officers walked back over to the driver’s side of his car and saw a small black bag containing a greenish vegetation on the driver seat.
The defendant denied the marijuana was his. Then he was handcuffed and placed in the rear of a police car. His own car was impounded.
At headquarters he was served the following summonses: possession of controlled dangerous substances under 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, maintenance of lamps, no liability insurance coverage on motor vehicle, driving after driver’s license or registration suspended or revoked, and operation of motor vehicle while in possession of controlled dangerous substances.
All summonses were returnable to the Pascack Joint Municipal Court. The defendant was released without incident.
Perspiring man tells tale of club visit in THC arrest
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—A New Milford man, 22, pulled over Sept. 29 at 4:23 a.m. at Pascack Road and Maria Drive, ended up with a wad of traffic and criminal summonses returnable to the Pascack Joint Municipal Court:
Possession of marijuana or adulterant under 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance, driving under the influence of liquor or drugs, operation of motor vehicle while in possession of narcotics, careless driving, and failure to maintain lane.
According to the police report, an officer on patrol on Woodcliff Avenue observed a grey Ford Explorer traveling northbound on Pascack Road.
Because of the suspect’s erratic driving, including his weaving over the double yellow lines in front of Woodcliff Lake Police Headquarters, the officer stopped him at the intersection of Maria Drive.
The driver was sweating profusely and avoided making eye contact. His hands shook, his eyes were bloodshot and watery, and his breathing was rapid.
“When I asked why he was sweating, he replied, ‘I’m going on the way home right now.’ When I asked what he did tonight, his passenger … answered by saying that they’d ‘hit a bunch of strip clubs,’” the report reads.
“I asked again about the sweat and [the defendant] stated it was hot out and the sweat was due to walking around in New York City. I inquired about the air conditioning in the new vehicle and he responded that he was thinking about opening a window,” the report continues.
The officer took the defendant’s information and requested backup.
The suspect was questioned further, saying that they had been to a club but were not let in due to the presence of underage friends in the group.
“He then stated he hung out there and left. When asked if he had anything to drink, [he] stated no. I replied, Not at all, not one drink? and he answered again, no,” the report says.
He defendant said he didn’t know why his license would show as suspended but said his father told him earlier in the day that he got a letter from the DMV stating it was suspended.
Central Dispatch advised of the suspension due to the accumulation of 21 points and persistent violator status.
At the conclusion of field sobriety tests officers agreed that the defendant had operated his vehicle while he was impaired from alcohol and/or some form of illegal narcotics.
Pressed, he told an officer, “I don’t drink, sir.” When told the next step was to call in a drug recognition expert, and asked again if he had taken or imbibed anything, the defendant said, “I just drink tiny bit of tequila.” He later stated it was one little cup at the club.
He had a hand stamp for readmittance to the club. His story had changed to note he was admitted though minors with him were not.
He was placed under arrest for driving under the influence. He was handcuffed and searched before being placed in the rear of a patrol vehicle.
During the search, a Gucci bag was located under the driver’s seat, containing three cartridges of 98.4% THC oil along with other drug paraphernalia.
After police emptied the bag on the driver’s seat, the defendant said the bag was his and said he believed the cartridges contained THC.
The car was impounded. The defendant’s passenger was offered a courtesy ride to headquarters where he could arrange a ride home.
At headquarters, the defendant gave a breath test showing a 0% BAC.
A drug recognition expert administered an hourlong exam, concluding that the defendant was under the influence of cannabis. The defendant gave a urine sample for followup.
Handed his summonses, the defendant was released to his father.
