Police stops lead to DWI, warrant arrests
HAMMONTON—Police made a number of vehicle stops last week, Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said. The stops included:
• On February 4 at 10:12 p.m.. at the intersection of Liberty Street and Bellevue Avenue, Officer Travis Hoffman observed a vehicle at S. Egg Harbor Road and Bellevue Avenue with its hazard lights on, and when following the vehicle on Bellevue Avenue, observed it moving across the lane marked painted lines several times, Friel said.
Hoffman stopped the vehicle at the corner of Liberty Street and Bellevue Avenue, Friel said.
Emerson Garcia, 21, of Hammonton was found to be operating the vehicle with a strong odor of alcoholic beverage emanating from his person in the vehicle, Friel said.
Garcia was placed under arrest, and transported to police headquarters for processing, Friel said. During the processing, he was found to have three active warrants, one from Hammonton Joint Municipal Court for $2,500, one from Southampton Municipal Court for $1,000 and an NCIC warrant from Atlantic County, Friel said.
He was transported to the Atlantic County Jail on the NCIC warrant, Friel said, and was also charged with the following motor vehicle citations: driving while under the influence (DWI), failure to give proper signal, failure to maintain lane, careless driving, reckless driving, unlicensed driver, failure to possess driver’s license, failure to possess registration, failure to possess insurance card, unregistered vehicle, uninsured vehicle, driving while suspended, Friel said. He also received a criminal charge of driving while suspended due to a DWI, Friel said.
• On February 5 at 11:40 p.m., police received an erratic driver call that turned into a DWI arrest on the location of S. First Road and Eighth Street, Friel said.
Hamilton Twp. police called in an erratic driver, Friel said. Officer Anthony Paulsgraf was checking the area and observed a vehicle operated by Luis Bernabe-Alonzo, 20, of Hammonton, Friel said.
The vehicle was observed to be failing to maintain a lane of travel and was stopped, Friel said. Bernabe-Alonzo was found to be under the influence, placed under arrest and was transported to the Hammonton Police Department for processing, Friel said.
He was charged with the following motor vehicle violations: driving while under the influence, failure to maintain lane of travel, careless driving, reckless driving and delaying traffic, Friel said. He was released as per John’s Law pending an appearance in Hammonton Joint Municipal Court, Friel said.
• On February 5 at 4:07 p.m., a motor vehicle stop led to a warrant arrest, Friel said. The vehicle was stopped by arresting officer Sgt. Jason Rigby at the corner of Lakeview Drive and S. White Horse Pike (Route 30), Friel said.
“He stopped a vehicle for speeding and found the operator to be suspended,” Friel said.
Melissa Bailey, 29, of Williamstown was found to have an outstanding traffic warrant for $114 from Washington Twp. court, Friel said.
She was taken into custody, charged and released pending a court date, Friel said. Bailey also received the following motor vehicle summonses: speeding, driving while suspended and uninsured vehicle, Friel said.
• On February 6 at 11:34 p.m. there was a suspicious vehicle in the 100 block of Eighth Street, Friel said.
The vehicle was observed parked in the roadway with the lights off, and Officer Travis Hoffman made contact with the driver and passenger in the vehicle, Friel said. The passenger, Robert Taylor, 67, of Bridgeton, was found to have two outstanding warrants, one for $744 and one for $750, Friel said.
Taylor was placed under arrest on the warrants and received new court dates in reference to the outstanding warrants, Friel said, adding that Taylor was released pending his new court dates for the warrants.