Police Blotter: Traffic Stops Lead to Gun, Narcotics Arrests

Feb. 7

Police arrested a Kearny man after he allegedly led them on a car chase through Belleville and into Newark at around 1:14 a.m.

A police car patrolling near the corner of Belleville Avenue and Branch Brook Drive was passed by a quick moving white Kia, police said. The driver of the Kia headed onto Union Avenue and then along Mount Prospect Avenue in Newark, ignoring attempts by police to get the driver to stop, police said.

With Belleville police still in pursuit, the car turned down several side streets in Newark until it struck a parked car and came to a stop. The driver of the vehicle, Dominic A. Fraities, a 27-year-old inventory clerk, reportedly refused police orders to exit the car and had to be forcibly removed, police said. Fraities was in possession of four bags of what was believed to be marijuana, police said.

Fraities was charged with eluding police, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana, resisting arrest. He was also issued four motor-vehicle summonses, for reckless driving, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, failure to stop for an emergency vehicle and for ignoring a stop sign. He was held in lieu of bail.
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A woman told police at 6:38 a.m. someone broke into her 1997 Toyota 4-Runner while it was parked overnight near 66 Eugene Place. Paperwork and copies of checks were taken, the victim told police.
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A man told police he saw two Hispanic men attempt to break into his 1996 Nissan Sentra while it was parked near Rocco Street and Sanford Avenue at around 6:56 p.m. The victim told police he yelled to the two men, who jumped into a nearby car and sped off. There was damage to the driver’s side door lock, police said.
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A North Arlington man was arrested after police allegedly saw a baggie of what was believed to be cocaine in his vehicle as well as a white, powdery residue on the man’s nostrils. Officers patrolling near Greylock Parkway and Washington Avenue at 7:33 p.m. saw a gold Lincoln SUV go through a red light as the car tavelled north on Washington Avenue. After stopping the car near 726 Washington Ave., police, using their flashlights, spotted the baggie on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Justin M. Finamore, a 28-year-old hairdresser, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine in a motor vehicle and disregarding a traffic signal. He was later released.

Feb. 8

Four people, including a self-identified gang member, were arrested at around 3:05 a.m. after police say they discovered a loaded handgun stuffed under the seat of the car they were driving in.

A Buick Sable went through a stop sign as it traveled on Campbell Avenue, nearly colliding with a police car traveling on Union Avenue, police said. After stopping and approaching the vehicle, police said the occupants — two men, a woman and a 15-year-old boy  —  seemed nervous when questioned about about why they were in the area at that hour. Their stories also conflicted, police said.

As they searched the interior of the car with their flashlights, officers reportedly saw part of a handgun protruding from under the bottom of the passenger seat. Police retrieved the weapon, a fully loaded 22-caliber handgun, as well as ski masks and black gloves.

All four were charged with unlawful possession of a handgun. In addition, the man in the passenger seat, 22-year-old Joseph Debi of Jersey City, is wanted by the state Department of Corrections for parole violations. Debi, who claimed to be a member of the Crips street gang, has five previous felony convictions. Debi also faces another weapons charge, for violating a law that prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms.

The driver, North Bergen resident Shyne Rodriguez, 19, has two felony convictions and was also charged with violating the law prohibiting felons from possessing firearms. He was also wanted on two outstanding warrants, issued by Newark and North Bergen. He was also charged with driving while having a suspended license.

Also arrested were Christina Torres, a 30-year-old cashier from Jersey City, and a 15-year-old boy who was reported missing from Bayonne. The boy was held pending his release to Bayonne police.
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A 2002 Jeep Liberty was reported stolen from the driveway of 27 Reservoir Place at 3:13 a.m. The owner, who told police he’d parked the vehicle at 11 p.m. the night before, said there was about $1,000 worth of items in the car, including a GPS unit and a laptop computer.
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At 7:10 a.m., the owner of a 2001 Audi sedan said someone had attempted to steal the vehicle sometime after it was parked at 6 p.m. the previous evening. The car, which was parked at 178 Stephens St., sustained damage to the ignition cylinder.
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Police received a report at 8:42 a.m. someone had broken into a 2004 Dodge Durango parked near 61 Reservoir Place and had apparently attempted to steal the vehicle. Stolen from the truck were personal items including a cell phone. There was also heavy damage to the ignition.
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About $200 in personal items, including a jacket, were stolen from a 1993 Jeep Cherokee while it was parked overnight near 57 Adelaide St., the victim told police.  The theft was reported at 8:52 a.m.
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A Garden Avenue resident told police while she was away and her home was unoccupied, nearly $1,000 of items  —  including a video game system, digital camera and an iPod music player  — were stolen. The door was still locked when the victim returned to the home, a second-floor apartment, but there was damage to the front-door lock, suggesting someone had attempted to pry it open. The incident was reported at 6:20 p.m.
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At 9:53 p.m, a four-door, gray 2008 Volvo was reported stolen from the parking lot of Signature Fitness, 471 Cortlandt St. The vehicle was stolen while the victim, a gym patron, was working out. An unidentified person is believed to have taken the vehicle’s keys from a basket used by patrons. The car, which was parked at the lot at 8:23 p.m, also contained about $800 in personal items, including a wallet.