West Windsor
Police seized 1½ pounds of marijuana in a motor vehicle stop Wednesday night on southbound Route 1, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.
The driver of the vehicle, YahYah Sha-een Abdullah, 29, of Trenton, was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession with the intent to distribute.
Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini Jr. said in a statement that his office received information that an individual would be carrying a substantial amount of marijuana from New York into Trenton.
At about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Special Investigations Unit detectives and the West Windsor police conducted the stop of a 1997 Ford Taurus on southbound Route 1 near Alexander Road.
The Robbinsville Police Department’s drug-sniffing K-9 was used to search the car. The dog indicated the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle and detectives then applied for a search warrant. The marijuana, which has a street value of $2,000, was found in the trunk, authorities said.
Mr. Abdullah was charged and released on his own recognizance. The vehicle was seized by police.
The Robbinsville and Ewing police departments and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
A resident of Hillsborough reported a theft that occurred between 5:45 and 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Romano’s Macaroni Grill restaurant along southbound Route 1. Someone stole the victim’s wallet from her jacket pocket while she was dining and used her stolen Visa card to make a purchase at Best Buy in West Windsor, police said.
A 26-year-old Princeton resident reported a theft that occurred around 3:30 p.m. March 22 at Wal-Mart on Nassau Park Boulevard. The victim reported that a purse was stolen from either her handbag or her cart while she was shopping in the tools section of the store. The value of the purse was $50. Cash and credit cards were inside the purse.
A resident of Dayton, N.J., reported an attempted car theft that occurred between 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. March 23 in the Station Drive pay parking lot of the Princeton Junction Train Station. Someone attempted to gain entry to the victim’s 2007 Chevrolet SUV, causing damage to the driver-side door lock, police said. No entry was gained and no property was stolen.
A Conover Road resident reported an attempted burglary to a vehicle that occurred Saturday evening. Someone wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt with large white numbers on the back entered an unlocked vehicle in the victim’s driveway. The victim heard the car door close and saw the interior light on. He then noticed the suspect walking down the driveway. No property was observed to have been stolen, police said.
Jason Watkins, 36, of Trenton faces drug charges in connection with a traffic stop shortly after midnight Sunday on Meadow Road near Bear Brook Road. During the stop, Mr. Watkins was found to be in possession of several plastic baggies of marijuana, police said. He was arrested, processed and released pending a court date.
Hamid Ghaina, 29, of Trenton was charged with shoplifting Sunday afternoon from Wal-Mart on Nassau Park Boulevard. Mr. Ghaina is accused of stealing $108 worth of merchandise by removing them from their packaging and hiding them inside his jacket, police said. He then attempted to leave the store, where he was detained by store security pending arrival of the police. He was arrested, processed and released pending a court date.
A 13-year-old female from Trenton was arrested for shoplifting Sunday from Kohl’s on Nassau Park Boulevard. She is accused of hiding $316 worth of jewelry in her pants and attempting to leave the store. She was detained by store security and placed under arrest by police. She was processed and released to her father pending a future court date in juvenile court.
A township resident reported a theft from a vehicle that occurred between 2:30 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. Sunday in the parking lot of Home Depot on Nassau Park Boulevard. Someone broke a small window in the passenger side rear door to gain entry to a Honda CRV and stole a GPS unit, police said.
Princeton Township
Princeton Township police reported the March 13 arrest of Trenton resident Shakeema Steppe, 27, at her city home following a three-month identity theft investigation. Police say Ms. Steppe gained access to a township resident’s bank accounts and removed approximately $21,000 over a two-month period. Ms. Steppe also used the victim’s personal information to open a fraudulent bank account and credit card, which she used to purchase $4,000 in electronics, according to police. Ms. Steppe was charged with 14 counts of theft by deception, 14 counts of computer theft, and three counts of credit card fraud, and committed to the Mercer County Correction Center in lieu of $50,000 bail.
Claudio Garcia-Leyva, 22, of Hillsborough, was charged with driving while intoxicated, being an unlicensed driver, and reckless driving after he struck a utility pole with his car on Route 206 at 4:25 a.m. March 22, according to police reports. While investigating the accident, police said, they determined the driver was intoxicated. They said they detected the odor of alcohol in Mr. Garcia-Leyva’s vehicle.
Thelma Espichangarcia, 40, of Red Oak Row, was injured when she crashed her car into a utility pole on Herrontown Road at 6:25 a.m. Wednesday. Police said she swerved to avoid two deer that were crossing the road. Ms. Espichangarcia was taken to Capital Health System’s Fuld Campus in Trenton for treatment of chest, leg and knee pain, according to police, who said the car’s impact caused the utility pole to break in half.
Princeton Borough
Nancy Elneus, 21, of Trenton, was arrested after a records search revealed a $290 warrant out of Trenton following a traffic stop on Mercer Street at 5:20 p.m. March 20, according to police.
Anawa Wacaba, 33, of Vandeventer Avenue, was arrested for possession of marijuana at 6 p.m. on March 20 following an investigation, police said.
Gregory Howarth, 43, of Cherry Hill, was charged with driving while intoxicated following a traffic stop at 1 a.m. March 21 on Washington Road, according to police.
Ozzie Ingram III, 43, of Hamilton, was arrested after a records search revealed a $360 warrant out of Millstone Township following a traffic stop on Alexander Street at noon March 22, according to police.
Kyle Holley, 28, of Hamilton, was charged with driving while intoxicated and hindering apprehension following a traffic stop on Stockton Street at 11 p.m. March 23. Police said that during the investigation they determined Mr. Holley gave them a false name and date of birth. It was later determined that Mr. Holley had multiple contempt of court warrants from several different towns in the state, according to police.
Mark Carlson, 51, of Nassau Street was charged with driving while intoxicated following a traffic stop on Nassau Street at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, police said.
Matthew Holman, 34, of Hamilton was charged with driving while intoxicated following a traffic stop on University Place at 12:30 a.m. Friday, police said.
April Jackson, 40, of Nassau Street was charged with shoplifting after she attempted to steal a bottle of vodka from Varsity Liquors on Nassau Street at 5:40 p.m. Friday, police said.
Benjamin Sutton, 26, of Hamilton was charged with disorderly conduct after he urinated in public and then screamed obscenities at a responding officer at 2:20 a.m. Saturday, according to police reports. Mr. Sutton also threatened to bump into the officer several times, police said.
David Jackson, 53, of Birch Avenue was arrested after a records search revealed a $250 warrant out of Princeton Borough during a pedestrian stop on Clay Street at 1:45 p.m. Saturday, police said.
William Roy, 26, of Bensalem, Pa. was arrested after a records search revealed a $240 warrant out of Princeton Township during a traffic stop on Stockton Street at 8:45 p.m. Saturday, police said.
Deirdre Arato, 39, of Ewing was arrested after a records search revealed a $275 warrant out of Princeton Township during a traffic stop on Nassau Street at 8:15 p.m. Sunday, police said.
Leigh Ann Holt, 29, of Cherry Hill was arrested for disorderly conduct and $1045 in outstanding warrants out of Camden and Cherry Hill at 9 p.m. Sunday, police said. Police said they located Ms. Holt and ran a records search, revealing the three warrants, after they responded to 195 Nassau Street on a report a woman yelling in the street.
Montgomery
Alphonso Smith, 37, of Wilmington, Del., was arrested Thursday and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Mr. Smith was stopped for running a red light and tailgating, police said. Officers smelled the odor of burnt marijuana in the vehicle and asked for consent to search the car, which Mr. Smith granted, police said. The officers located marijuana and drug paraphernalia during their search, police said. Mr. Smith was charged with possession of marijuana under 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, tailgating, and failure to observe a traffic signal. Mr. Smith was processed at police headquarters and released on his own recognizance pending a court appearance.
Christopher Turissi, 22, of Hamilton, was issued a ticket for improper passing after a two-car crash that occurred Thursday afternoon on Route 518 at the driveway of Wawa. Mr. Turissi was improperly passing vehicles by driving on the painted island at the time of the crash, police said. As a result, his vehicle collided with a car that was exiting the Wawa driveway, police said. He is scheduled to appear in Montgomery Township Municipal Court.
Oleg Pedchenko, 42, of Philadelphia, was issued a ticket for failing to yield to the right of way after a two-car crash Thursday afternoon. Mr. Pedchenko attempted to turn left onto Benjamin Boulevard from southbound Route 206 and failed to yield the right of way to the northbound car, police said. Both occupants of the northbound car were injured, one of whom was transported to the hospital by Montgomery EMS. Mr. Pedchenko is scheduled to appear in Montgomery Township Municipal Court.
Peter Rossetti, 61, of Princeton, received a ticket for failing to yield to the right of way after a two-car crash Saturday afternoon. Mr. Rossetti attempted to turn left onto Airpark Drive from northbound Route 206, police said. As he made the turn, he failed to yield the right of way of a car traveling south, resulting in the crash, police said. All three occupants of the southbound vehicle were injured and transported to the hospital by Montgomery EMS. Both vehicles suffered extensive damage and were towed from the scene. Mr. Rossetti is scheduled to appear in Montgomery Township Municipal Court.
Jesse Fatouras, 26 of Pompton Lakes,was arrested March 5 after a motor vehicle stop on Route 518. Mr. Fatouras was stopped for crossing over the double yellow lines, police said. A check of his driver’s license revealed a warrant out of Rocky Hill Borough for failing to appear in court, police said. Mr. Fatouras was taken to police headquarters for processing and he was released after posting bail.
Travis A. Johnson, 50, of East Orange, was arrested March 5 on an outstanding warrant out of East Orange for $150. An officer performed a random look-up of Mr. Johnson’s vehicle registration, which disclosed that Mr. Johnson’s New Jersey driving privilege is currently suspended, police said. The officer stopped Mr. Johnson’s vehicle for license violation and arrested him for an outstanding warrant, police said. He was processed at police headquarters and released.
A resident of Lakeview Drive contacted authorities on March 4 after his dogs alerted him to a fire in his garage. He said his dogs began to bark uncontrollably causing him to look around his home. He said he opened his interior garage door and noticed a fire in the corner of his garage near the outside door. The resident was able to control the blaze with an extinguisher. Firefighters checked the home and made sure the fire did not travel farther. They investigated with the Police Department, but were unable to determine a definitive cause. Montgomery Township police, Montgomery Fire Company No. 2, and Montgomery EMS responded to the fire.
Plainsboro
A resident of Windrow Drive reported a theft that occurred sometime between Feb. 11 and March 28, Saturday. Investigation at the scene revealed that the victim’s credit card was stolen from her room, and it was used to make several purchases, totaling $1,052.29.
A customer of the Ruby Tuesday restaurant located on southbound Route 1 reported a theft that occurred between noon and 1:10 p.m. Friday. The victim reported that he had left his Apple iPhone on the table after he left it and returned to his job. The phone was valued at $350.
A theft was reported from the offices of the Esprit Consulting Firm, 2 Research Way, that occurred between Dec. 8 and March 24. Someone entered the building and removed an IBM laptop and a Linksys wireless router. The items were valued at $2,100. There are no suspects at this time, police said.
Manuel Flores Jr., 22, of Pheasant Hollow Drive, and Aaron Thompson, 21, of West Windsor, were arrested after a noise complaint shortly after midnight Friday, police said. Investigation at the scene on Pleasant Hollow Drive led to the arrest of Mr. Flores on an outstanding warrant, police said. Mr. Thompson was charged with obstruction of justice. Mr. Flores was released on bail, and Mr. Thompson was released pending a future court date.
Nakita Suah, 28, of Bristol, Pa., was charged with driving while intoxicated Thursday night after police responded to the parking lot of the Ruby Tuesday restaurant on southbound Route 1 near Mapleton Road. Police said they were contacted on a report of an intoxicated driver insistent on driving. Investigation revealed that Ms. Suah had driven to the scene while intoxicated, police said. She was charged with DWI, refusal to submit to a breath test, reckless driving, possession of an open alcohol container, and improper parking.
A resident of Hunters Glen Drive reported an incident of harassment that occurred most recently March 24. The victim said she received five phone calls from a male caller with a private number who said he was watching her in her apartment. The calls were received last week and Nov. 18.
A 14-year-old student from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North reported a theft that occurred between 6:30 a.m. and shortly before noon March 23. The victim reported that someone stole an Apple-iPhone, valued at $250, from a backpack. The case is under investigation.
