Lt. Christopher H. Kascik of the Hopewell Township Police Department reported:
On May 25 at 11:10 a.m., Officer Lincoln Karnoff responded to the ShopRite on the Pennington Circle for a reported theft.
The victim reported he placed two book bags on the ground outside of his vehicle in the parking lot. Sometime over the course of the next 45 minutes, someone took the bags while he was using his cell phone and seated on a park bench nearby.
The bag contained a laptop computer valued at $2,500. The investigation is ongoing.
***
On May 22 at 1:41 a.m., Officer Alexis Mirra stopped a 2011 Hyundai on Washington Crossing-Pennington Road.
The driver, John J. Keane, 30, of Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, had warrants for his arrest from Hamilton Township and Trenton. He posted bail and was released.
***
May 22 at 1:22 a.m., Officer Nicholas Sparaco stopped a 2007 Honda for speeding.
The driver, Patrick F. Marchetti, 35, of Sked Street, Pennington, was charged with drunken driving, reckless driving, speeding and failure to maintain lane.
He was released without bail.
***
Friday at 8:03 a.m., Officer James Hoffman stopped a 2008 Jeep on Route31 near Mine Road.
Motorists called 911, reporting an erratic driver in a similar vehicle.
The driver, David G. Merrill, 61, of Center Street, Clinton, was charged with drunken driving, reckless driving and failure to keep right. He was released to a friend.
***
At 6:49 a.m. Friday, the Hopewell Township Police Department responded to a bicycle-motor vehicle crash on Pennington-Lawrenceville Road near Van Brunt Road.
Debra Valentin, 42, of Ewing, was bicycling west on Pennington-Lawrenceville Road when a BMW driven by Brian Burns, 48, of Hamilton, turned left eastbound into a business driveway, striking the bicycle.
Ms. Valentin suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Capital Health Hospital-Hopewell Campus by the Pennington First Aid Squad.
Mr. Burns was charged with driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana under 50 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence and assault by auto.
Mr. Burns also was charged with reckless driving and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle.
He was released without bail. His case was forwarded to the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
This crash remains under investigation.
