Staff report
Hightstown
Police took a report of graffiti at Hightstown High School on Oct. 15, after staff at the school found “Sept 29 + school = boom” and “G Unit” written in black marker in the boys’ bathroom near the gymnasium. The words “9/10/08 Day 1 were still here 9/17/08” and “My Good” with a halo over the words were also written on the stall door, according to police.
Jose Criollo, 45, of Ossining, N.Y., was charged Sunday with aggravated assault on police and obstructing the administration of law.
Also arrested were two other Ossining residents: the car’s driver, Cristian Tepan, 24, who was charged with driving while intoxicated, Driving while intoxicated in a school zone, refusal to submit breath samples, disregarding a traffic signal, unlicensed driving, reckless driving, and contempt of court; and Nancy Criollo, 18, who was charged with obstructing the administration of law and resisting arrest.
Police said they stopped the three at 12:51 a.m. on Maxwell Avenue after seeing their car go through a red light at Maxwell Avenue and Franklin Street, and found Mr. Tepan was an unlicensed driver and failed field sobriety tests. During the arrest, police said Mr. Criollo exited the vehicle in an attempt to free Mr. Tepan and assaulted the arresting officer. When police took him into custody, Ms. Criollo also exited the vehicle and interfered in the arrest of Mr. Criollo, and flailed her arms and pulled away from officers when she was taken into custody, police said.
Ms. Criollo was released on a summons complaint, Mr. Criollo was later released on $5,000 bail, and Mr. Tepan was released to a friend after posting bail on a $266 Morris traffic warrant.
Priscilla Elkins, 47, of Academy Street, was charged Saturday with driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, tampering with evidence, possession of crack cocaine and numerous related offenses.
Police said they stopped Ms. Elkins at 12:56 a.m. on Railroad Avenue after seeing her back down the road, which is a one-way street. Once stopped, police said Ms. Elkins exhibited signs of intoxication and exited her vehicle to perform sobriety tests, and once out, she placed a white rock-like substance believed to be crack cocaine in her mouth and began chewing it.
Police reported that when they took Ms. Elkins into custody, she failed to comply with their requests, flailing her limbs and pulling away. She was transported to Princeton Medical Center for evaluation, and once she was released from the hospital and taken to police headquarters, police said she crushed a glass pipe used to ingest drugs, which she had concealed.
Ms. Elkins also was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, using a CDS, possession of drug paraphernalia, DWI in a school zone, improper backing, reckless driving, careless driving, and driving with an expired registration.
Parveer Singh, 19, of Princeton Arms, East Windsor, was charged Monday with possession of a fraudulent government document, utterance of a fraudulent government document, and underage possession of alcohol. At the same time, complaints for underage possession of alcohol were signed against Rommel Quezada, 19, of Stockton Street, and a 17-year-old boy of Oak Creek Road, East Windsor.
Police said they stopped a car driven by Mr. Singh at 1:19 p.m. on Franklin Street after seeing him leave the liquor store on Stockton Street with a case of beer, though he appeared underage. Once stopped, police said they confirmed the ages of the vehicle’s occupants and saw a case of beer in the back seat, and discovered Mr. Singh used a fraudulent identification card to purchase the beer. Mr. Singh was taken into custody on a $1,000 warrant with the option to post 10 percent for release, and was later released on bail.
Jose Alfredo Ocampo, 30, of Westerlea Avenue, was charged Saturday with having an open alcohol container in public and breach of peace. Police said they stopped him at 8:30 p.m. on Westerlea Avenue after seeing him drink a can of beer and dispose of it on the lawn of a residence on the avenue’s 100 block.
Marcus Rodas Portilla, 26, of Old Millstone Drive, East Windsor, was charged Oct. 15 with contempt of court. Police said they stopped Mr. Portilla after a random plate check revealed he was a suspended driver with two Hightstown traffic warrants totaling $600.
Raymundo Chavez, 26, of Hightstown, was taken into custody at his residence in the 200 block of Rogers Avenue at 9:56 p.m. Oct. 15 on a $1,000 Hightstown traffic warrant.
Cordney Autry, 21, of Millstone, was charged Oct. 16 with contempt of court. Police said they took him into custody at 11:34 p.m. on Dutch Neck Road after a random plate check revealed his license was suspended and he had an active $1,000 Freehold Township traffic warrant.
Glen Martin, 19, of Trenton, was charged Tuesday with contempt of court. Police said they stopped him at 12:53 a.m. on Mercer Street after a random license plate check revealed a $215 Trenton traffic warrant.
Bryan Pecan, 37, of Stockton Street, Hightstown, was taken into custody at 7:03 p.m. Oct. 16 on the 100 block of Stockton Street for a $147 Hightstown traffic warrant.
East Windsor
Arthur Bernard, 58, of Cedarville Road, was charged Tuesday with obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. Police said they responded to a report of a disorderly and combative man outside a residence in the 200 block of Cedarville Road at 7:05 p.m. and found Mr. Bernard in the backyard behaving in a violent manner.
Police said that after numerous warnings, Mr. Bernard approached the officers aggressively, screaming and swinging his arms at them, and resisted arrest by fighting with them until they subdued him. He was later transported to Helene Fuld Medical Center, Crisis Unit, although police said neither he nor the officers were physically injured.
(Editor’s note: Another officer was seriously injured in route to the incident. For the full story, click here.)
Abigail D. Abramson, 21, of Christopher Drive, Princeton, was charged Sunday with possession of fewer than 50 grams of marijuana, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, making an improper lane change and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle. Police said they stopped her at 9:10 p.m. on Hickory Corner Road after seeing her make an abrupt and unsafe lane change. Once stopped, police said they found a smoking pipe and a small zip lock baggie containing marijuana in her purse.
Cory M. Smith, 18, of Windsor Castle Apartments, was charged Sunday with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, careless driving, failure to keep right, being an unlicensed driver and failure to wear a seat belt.
Police said they stopped Mr. Smith at 12:35 a.m. on Hickory Corner Road after seeing him weave and nearly strike a curb. Once stopped, police said they found a $1,000 Hightstown warrant in his name. He was released to Hightstown police in lieu of bail.
Julio C. Quezada, 29, of 38th Street, Union City, was charged Sunday with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, careless driving, failure to maintain lane, and failure to wear a seatbelt. Police said they stopped Mr. Quezada’s car at 3:30 a.m. at Route 33 and Probasco Road after seeing him weaving.
York D. Drinks, 37, of The Orchard Complex, was charged Monday with shoplifting. Police said loss prevention staff at the Shop Rite on Route 130 stopped him after he concealed $49.05 in groceries in his jacket and left the store without paying for them.

