A Bristol, Pa., man made the wrong decision when he chose Lambertville as the place to teach his girlfriend how to drive.
Police came across the couple about 7:30 p.m. March 7 when they spotted their pickup truck parked in a desolate, muddy area off Canal Street.
Both the vehicle’s owner, Jesse Lee Ashford, 22, of Linden Street and his girlfriend told the officer he was trying to teach her how to drive a manual transmission.
A further check showed two warrants for Mr. Ashford’s arrest on failure to appear for open intoxication and motor vehicle charges. One warrant was issued by Lakehurst Borough Municipal Court; the second by Flemington.
Mr. Ashford was arrested and released after posting $500 bail.
Sgt. Michael O’Rourke, sergeants Robert Brown and Jeffrey Jones and officers Kenneth Housman and Sharon Polyak each attended one-day Breathalyzer re-certification classes at the Morris County Police Academy.
Sgt. Brown also attended a four-hour mandatory agency training seminar at the Somerset County Police Academy Feb. 13.
The purpose of this program is to ensure all agencies conducting in-house training are presenting a consistent material format and are compiling necessary documentation relating to use of force, domestic violence and vehicle pursuits. These instructional recommendations are being incorporated into Lambertville’s in-service training programs.
Officer Michael Gramlich received 170 hours of field training under the direction of Patrolman Aaron Lacey.
He continued field training the first two weeks of March and then was assigned to full-time active duty March 15.
Patrolman Lacey also began the assigned duty of departmental detective and investigator March 15.
The department was awarded a grant of $957.19 by state Body Armor Replacement Fund in late February.
The money will be used toward the purchase of at least one new bulletproof vest this year. The vests cost approximately $700 each.
Part-time police secretary Annette Tillett resigned effective Feb. 27.
She and her family have since relocated to Florida.
During February, the department handled a total of 466 calls.
Of those, 13 were criminal investigations and 52 non-criminal investigations. Two were indictable offenses. There were two disorderly persons, four drunken driving arrests and four warrant arrests.
Officers responded to 20 alarm activations, five fire calls, 35 squad calls and 16 motor vehicle accidents.
There were 467 parking and 232 moving violation summonses issued during the month.
March 8, Jamie Lynn Seibert, 26, of Towpath Road, New Hope, contacted police at 5:51 p.m. to report criminal mischief to her vehicle while it was parked in the lot at Fran’s Pub where she works.
Someone damaged the right rear taillight, smashing it with an unknown glass object.
March 9, at 9:30 p.m. Noah Robins, 59, of Hastings Hudson, N.Y., reported the theft of his coat, valued at $500, from Martine’s Restaurant on West Ferry Street while he dined.
After finishing his meal, he went to retrieve his raincoat from a hook on the second floor of the establishment when he noticed it missing.
Saturday, Castro Lopez Regoberto of Chestnut Street, New Hope, reported at 12:15 a.m. that his vehicle’s right front fender, headlight and hood was damaged after someone apparently backed into it while it was parked in front of his home.
A horse was shot and wounded sometime late March 6 or early March 7.
The horse was treated by a veterinarian at the residence. The horse was in the paddock area of a farm on Paxson Road.
The injury was believed to be from a 22-caliber bullet that struck the horse just under the right eye.
March 9, Mary E. Munds, 20, of West Amwell was charged with retail theft and simple assault after she allegedly made a food purchase and attempted to leave the Giant Food Store on Route 202 without paying, police said.
While being detained by a store employee, Ms. Munds allegedly attempted to force her way out of the store and bit one of the employees on the hand.
Bail was set at $2,500. She was released without bail with restrictions.
A 16-foot landscaping trailer was stolen sometime between 7:15 and 8:30 p.m. March 9 when the owner parked the trailer in a lot while he went to look at a job.
The trailer is black and gray and twin axle with New Jersey registration T6TP9L.
Anyone who sees this trailer is asked to call police at (215) 438-8201 or 348-7400.