5 DWIs, 2 Heroin Arrests, 1 Fiery Crash, A Narcan Save: 34 Hours In One Town

MOUNT OLIVE, N.J. – The police department in one of Morris County’s westernmost towns had an unusually busy weekend, dealing with alleged drunk drivers, heroin users and a car fire. And it all happened in a matter of 48 hours.

The Mt. Olive police department released its arrest reports from Friday, March 11 through Sunday, March 13, and included five separate driving while intoxicated charges; possession of heroin charges; distribution of heroin charges; an allegedly drunk driving minor who crashed his car into the woods before it was engulfed in flames; and a Narcan save for a woman who overdosed on heroin.

The action began at 10:48 p.m. Friday night when police were patrolling Route 206 near Oakwood Village and spotted a driver swerving multiple times. A traffic stop was conducted and subsequent field sobriety testing showed the 70-year-old Flanders man was impaired, police said. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane.

Just two hours later, police were patrolling Route 46 when the spotted another vehicle failing to maintain its lane and conducted a stop. Police spoke with the driver, Crystal Ryno, 28, of Hackettstown, and identified her passenger, Vincenzo Pascavage, 27, also of Hackettstown.

During the stop police learned both motorists had warrants from two separate municipalities and observed inside the vehicle drug paraphernalia, police said. Consent to search the vehicle was given, police said, which yielded suspected heroin, drug paraphernalia, and multiple syringes.

Ryno and Pascavage were placed under arrest and taken to police headquarters where the woman was charged with possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a hypodermic needle, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, and failure to maintain lane.

Pascavage was taken to Sparta Township Police Station for an active warrant and lodged in the Sussex County Correctional Facility in lieu of bail.

Just a little over an hour later, at 2:25 a.m., police patrolling Route 46 in the area of New Street spotted a 2016 Lexus fail to maintain its lane on multiple occasions, police said. The stop was conducted and field sobriety tests took place, which subsequently landed the 40-year-old female driver from Budd Lake in handcuffs.

She was charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, and failure to notify the DMV of an address change.

Later that day, at 8:21 p.m., police were patrolling Route 46 in the area of the Green Village Shopping Complex when they found a 2012 Jeep fail to maintain its lane multiple times and made a traffic stop.

Police spoke with the driver, Gerard Pinckney, 49, of Hackettstown, who “appeared to be under the influence of an intoxicating liquor and/or drug,” police said.

Pinckney was placed under arrest after field sobriety tests, and during a search of his clothes, police found “large bundles” of money, specifically in his jacket and pants pockets, police said.

Pinckney then asked for his cell phone from the vehicle, and when officers went to the car to retrieve it, they found another large bundle of money and suspected heroin, the report said. The Morris County Sheriff’s K9 Unit responded to the scene and “hit” on multiple areas of the car, which resulted in another large bundle of cash located in the spare tire compartment, police said.

Pinckney was taken to police headquarters where he was charged with possession of more than a half ounce of heroin with intent to distribute, possession of heroin, trafficking property known to be from criminal activity, use/influence of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while intoxicated, failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, and failure to exhibit documents. Pinckney was released on his own recognizance to a sober driver.

Just three hours later that night, police were performing a business check at the Super 8 Motel in Budd Lake when the found a 1999 Ford running the in the lot with what appeared to be a man sleeping inside, police said.

Police woke the driver, a 54-year-old man from Hackettstown, who appeared to be impaired due to alcohol consumption, police said. The man performed field sobriety tests and was subsequently arrested and taken to police headquarters where he was charged with driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.

Less than 90 minutes later, at 1:01 a.m., police responded to River Road for a report of a single car crash where the vehicle left the roadway and was on fire, police said.

Officers responded to the scene and were told by dispatch the driver left the scene on foot and was seen running down River Road, police said.

Flanders Fire Department responded to extinguish the blaze and the Morris County K9 Unit responded to the scene to assist with locating the driver. The search turned up a 17-year-old male from Budd Lake alone in the woods who appeared to be intoxicated, police said. The teen was arrested after field sobriety tests and charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, failure to report an accident, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to maintain a lane, and driving after hours on a provisional license.

Finally, later that morning, police responded to an apartment in the Eagle Rock Complex at 7:55 a.m. for an unresponsive female. Officers arrived on scene and began to render medical assistance along with the Budd Lake First Aid Squad. Officers observed drugs in plain view and in the apartment and administered nasal narcan, an anti-opiate antidote to reverse the effects of the narcotic in the 28-year-old’s system.

The woman regained consciousness and began communicating with police before she was transported to the hospital.

"This weekend alone Mount Olive officers arrested 3 individuals for heroin while saving one person from dying by overdose; the epidemic is growing and dangerous,” said Mt. Olive police chief Mark Spitzer.

Editor’s Note: Per Patch policy, the names of drivers charged with Driving While Intoxicated are not released unless their case is coupled with other charges.