Hopewell Township police Lt. Christopher H. Kascik reported:
Police responded to 12 motorist aid calls where cars had been driven off the roadway and also investigated six traffic accidents during the Jan. 21-22 snow storm
Officer Robert Voorhees stopped a vehicle on Route 31 for having a headlight out on Jan. 18. While speaking with Lyndsay Olswfski, 21, Academy Court, Pennington, the officer smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Further investigation revealed that the driver, Ms. Olswfski, and her passenger Taylor Lavery, 23, of Sunset Road, Lawrenceville, were in possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both individuals were transported to police headquarters for processing and issued summonses for possession of a controlled dangerous substance and released.
Their cases will be heard in Municipal Court.
During the snow storm on Jan. 21, Officer Joseph McNeil investigated an hit-and-run accident that occurred in the Pennington Market lot.
A Chrysler Pacifica was backed into another vehicle that was going through the lot. Both drivers exited their cars to inspect the damage and the victim asked the driver of the Pacifica, later identified as Carolyn Dlabik, 46, of Brophy Drive, Trenton, to move to a parking spot so they could call the police.
Ms. Dlabik allegedly agreed, got in her car and then left the scene. Police said “the license plate number the victim provided was checked and it was found to be not currently issued.”
However a check of internal systems at the police station showed that the license plate number provided was previously on a different vehicle registered to Ms. Dlabik.
When the officer went to speak with Ms. Dlabik he observed the Pacifica in her open garage. He spoke with Ms. Dlabik and she confessed to being the driver of the vehicle and leaving the scene because the car was unregistered and uninsured.
Ms. Dlabik was issued summonses for careless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and uninsured motorist.
On Jan. 23, Officer Louis Vastola was on patrol in a marked police car on Woosamonsa Road and was headed west near Poor Farm Road when he saw a white 2013 Ford Explorer headed eastbound toward him.
The vehicle was operated by Maryellen Birdsey, 50, of River Road, Titusville. The officer was concerned that there was not an adequate space for the vehicles to pass each other as they were moving, so he stopped his vehicle to let Ms. Birdsey pass.
As she approached and was passing him, the officer saw Ms. Birdsey holding her cell phone in her hand and talking.
As they passed, Ms. Birdsey’s mirror struck the mirror of the patrol vehicle and kept going. The officer turned around and performed a motor vehicle stop and spoke with Ms. Birdsey, who had an odor of alcohol on her breath.
After performing field sobriety tests, Ms. Birdsey was transported to police headquarters and issued summonses for DWI, reckless driving and talking on a cell phone while driving.
Ms. Birdsey was later released to a friend, Her case will be heard in Municipal Court.
Officer McNeil investigated a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Pennington and Bull Run roads on Jan. 23. A Volkswagen Passat, operated by Cristiana Sheldrick, 39, of North Main Street, Pennington, was going south on the roadway when she attempted to change lanes, just prior to the intersection.
Stopped ahead of Ms. Sheldrick at the traffic light was Jacquelin Spadaccini, 50, of Hamilton Square, in her Honda Odyssey. Ms. Sheldrick then drove into the rear of Ms. Spadaccini’s vehicle. Ms. Spadaccini sustained injuries to her neck and back and Ms. Sheldrick injured her hand during the crash.
Ms. Spadaccini was transported to Capital Health’s Hopewell Campus by members of the Pennington First Aid Squad for treatment. Ms. Sheldrick refused medical treatment at the scene. Ms. Sheldrick was issued a summons for careless driving.

