BORDENTOWN CITY
Police charged a 36-year-old Hamilton man with disorderly conduct and aggravated assault against a police officer after a disturbance at the Farnsworth House restaurant on Nov. 25.
According to police, officers were called to the restaurant around 7:30 p.m. because a patron, William Craft, had become intoxicated and had run up a bar tab over $40 and refused to pay.
When police arrived, the report stated, Mr. Craft was outside the restaurant (located on Farnsworth Avenue) and was taken into custody. While at police headquarters, Mr. Craft became combative and kicked open a door, mildly injuring Patrolman Shaun Lafferty’s arm, the report stated.
Police said the injuries did not require medical attention.
Mr. Craft was charged and then taken to the Burlington County jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.
Police charged Michael Robinson, 27, of Hamilton with driving while intoxicated after a routine traffic stop shortly before midnight Nov. 24.
According to police, officers stopped Mr. Robinson for speeding along Route 130/206 and for making an improper lane change. At the stop, police said, officers smelled alcohol on Mr. Robinson’s breath. After failing sobriety tests, police said, Mr. Robinson was charged with the DWI and with reckless driving and making an unsafe lane change.
He was released to a family member, pending a court appearance.
BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP
Police charged Duane Taylor, 29, of Bronx, N.Y. with disorderly conduct and obstructing the administration of justice on Nov. 26.
According to police, officers responded to the Econo Lodge on Route 206 around 2 a.m. to check out a noise complaint. When officers arrived, police said, they heard shouting and profanity coming from behind the door of one of the rooms. Police said the officers spoke with Mr. Taylor, the room’s occupant, who then slammed the door.
According to the report, officers believed the disturbance was likely a domestic violence situation due to the fact that threatening language was being directed at another person in the room, however, officers found no one else in the room. Police then forcibly broke open the door and found Mr. Taylor under the covers on the bed.
Mr. Taylor was charged and released, pending a court appearance.
Police charged a 48-year-old Bordentown man with several drunken driving-related offenses at 1:30 a.m. Nov. 27.
According to police, officers spotted John Eckelmann of Linden Avenue apparently urinating beside his van at the Amoco gas station on Route 130/206. Circling back to the gas station, police said, officers saw the van drive away and speed off north along Route 130/206.
Police said the van erratically changed lanes, almost striking another car, despite the fact that the tailing police officer had turned on his car’s lights and siren. The van finally turned down Linden Avenue where Mr. Eckelmann was stopped, the report stated. Police said that as officers approached the car, it began to roll backward, requiring police to jump into the van and stop it themselves.
Mr. Eckelmann was then apprehended, and refused sobriety tests, police said. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, refusal to submit to a breath test, speeding, failure to maintain a lane, reckless driving and failure to stop to an emergency vehicle. He was released to the custody of his wife, pending a court date.
Police charged Justin Niebudek, 18, of Hamilton Square with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana on Nov. 22 after officers received word that a suspicious car was parked behind the trash receptacle of the Hampton Inn parking lot on Route 206.
According to police, officers arrived to check out the call and found Mr. Niebudek sitting in his car with a friend. When officers opened the door, police said, they immediately smelled burnt marijuana. A search of the car yielded a small plastic baggie of marijuana in the center console and several marijuana cigars.
Mr. Niebudek was charged and released pending a court date.
Police charged Hardik Vyas, 23, of Hightstown with driving while intoxicated after police found his car parked on Route 130 shortly before midnight Nov. 15.
According to police, officers spotted a red Dodge Neon parked in the right lane of Route 130 near Farnsworth Avenue. Police said officers found Mr. Vyas walking north along 130. Police said Mr. Vyas admitted he had been driving the car, a rental, and was only trying to get to work.
Police said officers smelled alcohol on Mr. Vyas’ breath and charged him with the DWI after he failed sobriety tests.
He was released pending a court date.
CHESTERFIELD
Police charged Leah Pitroski, 18, of Hamilton with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana at 10:57 p.m. Nov. 22.
According to police, officers stopped Ms. Pitroski for driving along Ellisdale Road with a headlight out. At the stop, police said, officers smelled burnt marijuana. When asked if she had been smoking it, police said, Ms. Pitroski admitted she had and surrendered a canister of marijuana and a glass pipe.
Ms. Pitroski was released on her own recognizance pending a court date.
A routine traffic stop on Nov. 20 led to the arrest of a Riverside woman on a string of drug-related charges, police said.
According to the report, officers stopped 22-year-old Sherry Bradley for speeding along Route 537 around 9:20 p.m. At the stop, the report stated, police discovered that Ms. Bradley was driving while suspended and was wanted on two criminal warrants issued by Cherry Hill ($755) and Mount Holly ($500).
A subsequent search of Ms. Bradley’s purse yielded several waxy envelopes wrapped in cellophane, each containing a white powder suspected to be heroin, police said. Also in the purse, police said, were several prescription drugs not belonging to Ms. Bradley and four hypodermic needles.
Ms. Bradley was charged with speeding, driving while suspended, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle and possession of hypodermic needles. She was taken to the Burlington County Jail in lieu of $17,500 bail.
FLORENCE
Police charged a 20-year-old township man with possession of marijuana after a brief foot chase near Broad Street Nov. 25.
According to police, officers who recognized Henry Brown for having an outstanding contempt of court warrant issued against him by the township, spotted him in the parking lot of the Broad Street Wawa around 11:30 p.m. When the officers told Mr. Brown he was under arrest, police said, Mr. Brown ran off toward West Fourth Street, where he was caught moments later.
Police said a search of Mr. Brown’s clothes uncovered a red baggie containing suspected marijuana. He was taken to police headquarters, where he was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of a controlled dangerous substance, obstruction of the administration of law and resisting arrest.
Mr. Brown also was charged on two contempt of court warrants, one from Florence for $171, the other from Burlington Township for $135. He was taken to the Burlington County Jail in lieu of $25,306 bail.
Police charged Michael Leto Jr., 37, of Broad Street with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and contempt of court just after 8 p.m. Sunday.
According to police, officers spotted Mr. Leto standing at the corner of Foundry and West Second streets and identified him as being wanted on a Trenton warrant. After placing him under arrest, police said, a search of Mr. Leto’s clothes uncovered "a whitish-brown rocklike substance" in his rear pants pocket.
Mr. Leto was charged and taken to the Burlington County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.

