Police Blotter: Sexual Assault, Numerous Burglaries, Robbery, Prostitution Arrests Stand Out in Crime Log

Sexual Assault

Lawrence Township police are investigating a sexual assault that allegedly occurred in the Avalon Run apartment complex this week, according to Lt. Charles Edgar, spokesman for the township police department.

He said police were notified at 10:59 a.m. Monday, Sept. 12, after the victim went to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton seeking treatment and told medical staff there that she had been sexually assaulted.

The woman told police she was assaulted sometime late Sunday night, Sept. 11, or early Monday morning, Sept. 12, after she accompanied two male acquaintances to an address on Town Court South in the complex, Edgar said.

No other details about the alleged crime are being released at this time, Edgar said, noting that the investigation is being conducted by Detective James Smith and Detective Sgt. Joseph Amodio, along with Detective Gary Wasko from the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.

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Burglary

At 11:33 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, a 31-year-old resident of the 700 block of Trumbull Avenue called police to report that someone had burglarized his home and stolen a drill, flashlight and bicycle worth a total of $400, Edgar said.

The man told police he had left the Bilco doors leading to his basement open to help the basement dry out from recent flooding, Edgar said. He said the man started to look around and realized the items had been stolen after he went into the basement and spotted footprints on the floor that had not been there earlier.

It did not appear the burglar had entered the rest of the house, Edgar said, noting Detective James Smith is investigating the crime.

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Attempted Burglary

Detective James Smith is investigating an attempted burglary that took place at a jewelry store in the 2900 block of Brunswick Pike (Route 1) sometime between 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 8, and about 10:45 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 9.

Edgar said police were called to the Lawrence Anthony Fine Jewelers store at 10:53 a.m. Friday, Sept. 9, after workers there discovered that a rear window had been smashed out. Marks were found indicating that someone had tried to pry through the window’s metal security bars but had been unable to do so, he said.

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Burglary

Three Ewing Township teenagers – all 17 years old – were arrested and charged with burglary after they were allegedly observed breaking into a vehicle on J. Russell Smith Road in the Tiffany Woods development off Spruce Street early Saturday morning, Sept. 10, Edgar said.

He said a witness called police at 12:38 a.m., while the youths were allegedly inside the vehicle. The witness provided descriptions of the three and remained on the phone with police to provide details about the teenagers’ movements until officers arrived in the area and caught up with the trio a short distance away on Spruce Street, he said.

Following an on-scene investigation by the officers, all three teenagers were arrested and charged with burglarizing the vehicle, Edgar said. He added that one of the boys was found to be wanted on a warrant.

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Burglary

At 10:33 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 23, a 36-year-old Michigan Avenue resident called police to report that his family had just arrived home from being away and discovered that someone had burglarized their home, Edgar said.

The burglar had gained entry through a window and stolen about $4,100 worth of assorted jewelry, Edgar said. He said the crime is believed to have occurred sometime after Aug. 16 when the family went away.

Detective William Chester was assigned the investigation.

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Robbery

A California man who allegedly stole a pair of earrings and then assaulted a loss prevention officer at the J.C. Penney department store at Quaker Bridge Mall was arrested Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 13, Edgar said.

Elias Armando Calderon, 23, of Los Angeles allegedly exited the J.C. Penney store with the $30 earrings cupped in his hand about 4:15 p.m., Edgar said. He said a store loss prevention official who had allegedly observed the shoplifting followed Calderon out to the parking lot and confronted Calderon.

Calderon allegedly tried to run and the store employee grabbed his shirt, Edgar said. He said Calderon pushed back and wrestled with the employee. Calderon was able to break free and took off running toward Route 1, leaving the store loss prevention official with cuts to his hands and ankle, Edgar said. He noted that the employee later declined medical aid.

Numerous police officers responded and searched the area. They soon located Calderon and took him into custody on charges of robbery, shoplifting and tampering with evidence, Edgar said. He explained that the latter charge was the result of Calderon allegedly trying to hide the stolen earrings from the arresting officers.

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Burglary

Edgar said township police are investigating a burglary that took place at the Glendale Liquors store in the 4000 block of Quakerbridge Road during the early hours of Friday, Aug. 26.

Officers, responding to a burglar alarm that was reported at 3:22 a.m., arrived to find that someone had smashed out the front glass door and two windows to gain entry to the store. Stolen were four cartons of Newport cigarettes and several bottles of Smirnoff Vodka, Edgar said, noting that the stolen items were valued at about $350 and the damage caused to the door and window was about $2,400. 

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Burglary / Stolen Vehicle

Little more than two hours after the burglary at Glendale Liquors was reported, township police are alerted to another burglary that took place on the other side of town at the Pathway Car Care auto repair shop in the 1600 block of Princeton Avenue near the township’s border with both Trenton and Ewing.

It was 5:57 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 26, when police learned that someone had broken a window to gain entry to the shop. About $15 was stolen from a change box inside. Also stolen was a 1998 Isuzu Trooper, along with the vehicle’s keys.

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Burglary

At 4:08 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 29, police were notified that someone had burglarized the Capitol Car Wash building in the 1600 block of Princeton Avenue by breaking a window, Edgar said. He said the only items reported to be stolen were two cases of bottled water, worth a total of $8.

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Prostitution

Two women from North Carolina were charged with promoting prostitution after they allegedly offered sex in exchange for money to an undercover police officer at the Red Roof Inn in the 3200 block of Brunswick Pike (Route 1) on Wednesday, Aug. 24, Edgar said.

“We observed an ad for an escort service on an Internet site that was possibly located in Lawrence Township,” Edgar said, explaining that township police routinely check newspaper and Internet advertisements because of .

Edgar said an officer called the phone number listed on the website and was instructed by the person who answered the call to go to a room at the Red Roof. He said the undercover officer went to the room and was met by the two women.

“As soon as the two females agreed to provide sex for money, the backup officers came in and they were arrested,” he said. Edgar identified the two women as Britany Viers, 19, of High Point, N.C., and Tonya Hall, 31, of Lexington, N.C.

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Accidental Injury

A 32-year-old Trenton man had one of his hands crushed and part of one of the fingers on that hand severed when the car on which he was working fell off a jack in the driveway of a friend’s home on Marlboro Road about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, Edgar said.

The man had the vehicle jacked up and was working on the brakes at the time of the accident. The vehicle somehow became dislodged and fell off the jack. The tire closest to where the man was working had been removed and the brake rotor landed on his right hand, crushing it and severing the pinky finger from the tip to the first knuckle, Edgar said.

He said the man went to the nearby Lawrence Road Volunteer Fire Co. firehouse for help. Luckily, Richard Laird III – the fire company’s assistant chief who is also a township police officer – happened to be at the station. Laird rendered aid to the man and called for an ambulance and additional assistance.

Edgar said the man was rushed by ambulance to Capital Health System’s Mercer hospital in Trenton, but it was unclear if surgeons were able to reattach the severed digit, which was packed in ice and sent to the hospital with the man.

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Drug Investigation

At 2:36 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13, police were called to Veterans Park at the end of Oaklyn Terrace by a township public works employee who had discovered two marijuana cigarettes discarded in the area of the park’s bocce court, Edgar said.

The worker told police there were four boys – who appeared to be between 15 and 17 years old – near the bocce court when he arrived at the park, but the boys got up and ran in the direction of Lawrence High School as soon as they spotted the township employee, he said.

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DUI

Brian M. Beyer, 42, of Lincroft was charged with driving under the influence after the pickup truck he was driving was involved in a traffic accident on Friday, Sept. 9, Edgar said.

He said it was about 9:20 p.m. when Beyer’s 2005 Dodge pickup truck collided with the 2001 Toyota Corolla being driven by Garcia Yanes, 31, of Franklin Street, Trenton, at the intersection of Brunswick Pike (Business Route 1) and Darrah Lane.

Suspecting that Beyer was impaired, officers administered field sobriety tests to him, Edgar said. He said Beyer was uncooperative and allegedly resisted when officers went to place him under arrest and handcuff him.

Beyer was charged with DUI, resisting arrest and obstruction, he said.

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DUI / Aggravated Assault

Susan A. Maher, 48, of the 1700 block of Six Street in Ewing, was arrested on Monday, Aug. 29, and charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, aggravated assault, resisting arrest, obstruction and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle, Edgar said.

Edgar said it was 3:43 p.m. when police received a complaint about a “highly intoxicated” person at a doctor’s office in the 3100 block of Princeton Pike. Officers arrived to find the suspect – Maher – sitting in her car in the parking lot.

“Officers tried to talk to her, but she acted irrationally and was yelling and screaming. She refused to get out of the car,” Edgar said.

When Office Chris Schuster tried to remove Maher from the vehicle, Maher allegedly punched him, Edgar said. He said Maher was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital to be checked out. 

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DUI / Drug Arrests

At 1:53 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 31, township police received a tip about a suspicious vehicle parked in the driveway of a residence in the 1100 block of Lawrence Road (Route 206). When officers arrived in the area, the driver of the 2005 Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck got out and took off running, leaving his passenger still in the vehicle, Edgar said.

Officers searched the area and located the driver, Shawn David Garnett, 19, of Croydon, Pa., Edgar said. He said Garnett was acting “strangely,” as if he was under the influence of narcotics, and was given field sobriety tests.

Based on Garnett’s performance on those tests and the discovery of what police believed to be PCP-laced cigarettes in the vehicle, Garnett was arrested and charged with DUI, DUI in a school zone, reckless driving, and drug possession, Edgar said.

He said the passenger in the pickup, Carlos W. Martinez, 18, of Bristol, Pa., was also charged with drug possession.

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DUI

John R. Emerson, 30, of New Hillcrest Avenue, Ewing, was arrested about 6:45 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, and charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, careless driving and failing to produce his vehicle’s registration, Edgar said.

Emerson’s 1998 Dodge Dakota pickup truck struck the rear of the 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt operated by Erick S. Diaz, 27, of Dickinson Avenue, Trenton, Edgar said, noting that Diaz had stopped for a red light at the intersection of Brunswick Pike (Business Route 1) and Whitehead Road.

Emerson allegedly appeared intoxicated while he was being interviewed about the accident by Officer Marc Poveromo, Edgar said, noting that Emerson was arrested after he performed “poorly” on field sobriety tests.

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Theft

Detective David Burns is investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged theft of a Mac laptop computer and accessories – valued at $2,000 – belonging to a 16-year-old student at Lawrence High School, Edgar said. He said police were called to the school at 3:32 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13, and that the laptop had been found – allegedly in the possession of another student. 

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Traffic Accident

A motorcyclist suffered a possible broken leg when his bike was involved in a collision with a car on Franklin Corner Road about 7:40 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, Edgar said.

He said the collision happened when the 2007 Toyota Corolla being driven by Craig T. Norback of Kaitlyn Court, West Windsor, pulled out of a property in the 100 block of Franklin Corner Road into the path of the oncoming motorcycle operated by Robert Young of Allwood Drive in Lawrence.

Young was transported by ambulance to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton to be treated for his leg injury, while Norback – who was not hurt - was issued a traffic ticket for causing the collision, Edgar said.

Anyone with information about any of the above crimes is asked to call Lawrence Township police at (609) 896-1111.

A copy of Lawrence Township's police dispatch log for Friday, Aug. 19, through Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2011, can be viewed from the PDF box above. This log lists all significant calls for service and incidents for which officers filed a written report. Routine administrative assignments are omitted. Some data has been redacted to protect the identity of crime victims.

See Also:

Sept. 8 - Shoplifting Suspects Collared by Lawrence Police

Sept. 9 – Pickup Crashes into Pole, Closes Bakers Basin Road

Sept. 13 – Chase Ends With Arrest at Lawrence Shopping Center

Sept. 14 – $10,000 Worth of Property Stolen from Lawrence Twp. Family Left Homeless by Hurricane Irene Flood Waters

Sept. 14 – Stolen Bicycle Found in Possession of 13-Year-Old