Also, vandalism at the cemetery and a suspicious man on Upper Mountain. The latest in crime from Lt. Scott Buehler:
Drug Arrests
On 1/5/12 at approximately 1:20 AM, police stopped a Mercury Mountaineer in the area of Valley Road and Claremont Avenue after observing it traveling at a high rate of speed. While speaking to the occupants, police noticed the strong odor of marijuana in the vehicle. One of the occupants, a female later identified as Saiyda Christopher, stated that she had some marijuana in her possession and turned over a quantity of marijuana. Further investigation revealed a sandwich bag containing marijuana on the floor of the vehicle and a wrapper containing fifteen Adderall pills. Christopher and the other two occupants, identified as Adel Howard and Antonio Storey, were placed under arrest.
Howard, 24, of Montclair, was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute. In addition, almost $330 in cash was seized from Howard as suspected proceeds of drug distribution. His bail was set at $3,500.
Storey, 27, of West Orange was charged with possession of prescription legend drugs with intent to distribute. He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for careless driving and operating a motor vehicle while in possession of drugs. He was later released.
Christopher, 21, of East Orange, was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance. She was later released. Anyone wishing to report drug activity is asked to call 973-509-4720.
Vandalism
On 1/5/12 at approximately 2:10 PM, police responded to the Mount Hebron Cemetery on Grove Street in Upper Montclair. Upon arrival, police spoke to an employee, who stated that since 12/22/11, windows to approximately twelve mausoleums had been damaged. It appears that rocks were used to cause the damage, but there are no suspects at this time. It is estimated that the vandalism caused $6,000 in damage.
Suspicious Activity
On 1/5/12 at approximately 7:15 PM, police responded to a single-family residence on Upper Mountain Avenue on a report of suspicious activity. Upon arrival, police spoke to the complainant, who stated that an eight-year old family member had observed an individual on their property. According to the complainant, the juvenile had been looking out the windows to the residence when she observed a male walking around in the side yard carrying a flashlight. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 5’10”, and last seen wearing a black-colored puffy jacket. When the suspect saw that he had been seen, he fled east on Brunswick Road towards Valley Road.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.
Driving While Intoxicated
On 1/5/12 at approximately 10:00 PM, an off duty Montclair Police Officer reported observing a hit and run accident on Lincoln Street involving a parked vehicle. Police learned that the suspect vehicle was a black BMW traveling west on Bloomfield Avenue. The officer followed the vehicle onto Willowdale Avenue, where the occupants exited the vehicle to inspect the damage. They then reentered the vehicle and were followed into Bloomfield, where the officer lost sight of the vehicle. Bloomfield and Montclair Police responded to a residence in Bloomfield, where they located the operator. Upon speaking to the operator, later identified as Navindra Budhu, police detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath.
Budhu, 23, of Bloomfield was placed under arrest after he failed to adequately perform field sobriety tests. He was issued motor vehicle summonses for driving while intoxicated, driving while intoxicated within one thousand feet of a school, refusal to submit to a breathalyzer, uninsured motor vehicle, suspended driver’s license, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, and careless driving. He was later released.
Burglary
On 1/5/12 at approximately 11:05 PM, police responded to a single-family residence on Christopher Street on a report of a burglary. The victim reported that sometime between 6:10 PM and 6:40 PM on that date, someone had entered the residence and stolen a Sony LCD flat screen television worth $500 and a Sony Play Station 3 gaming console valued at $300. A resident reported hearing footsteps in the house during this time period, and heard someone knock on her bedroom door, but assumed that it was another family member. It is believed that entry was gained to the residence through an unlocked rear door. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.
