Wayne PD Make Two Drug Arrests Minutes, Yards From Eachother

Wayne Police made two drug arrests within minutes of each other Monday after “two separate incidents happened within sight of one another on Route 23 North.”

The first arrest came at 2:19 p.m. when undercover detectives working the Route 23 corridor observed Vincent Malanga, 38, of Vernon, pull into the Exxon Station on Route 23 North and Packanack Lake Road, and park “his truck in a secluded spot acting suspiciously,” Wayne Captain Laurence W. Martin said. Malanga quickly entered into the men’s room and exited after several minutes “exhibiting physical behavior of someone under the influence of narcotics.”

After speaking to Malanga and asking if he needed medical assistance, detectives determined he was under the influence of heroin and arrested him for possession of eight bags of suspected heroin, being under the influence of heroin and possession of drug paraphernalia.

But while taking Malanga into custody, a motor vehicle accident occurred approximately 25 yards south of the Route 23 North at the Packanack Lake intersection, Captain Martin said.

The same detectives responded after Ryan T. Miller, 29, of Place Landing, crashed his White Mazda into another vehicle, forcing the vehicle into the center divider.

Authorities say Miller “was swaying and unsteady, unable to answer clearly questions about the accident” and was placed under arrest when detectives conducted field sobriety tests and DRE testing.

Miller was placed in custody for driving under the influence of narcotics, possession of narcotics, according to Captain Martin. His girlfriend sustained minor facial injuries in the crash and was transported to Saint Joseph’s Wayne Hospital for treatment.

Miller (photo 2) and Malanga (photo 1) were both released on a summons