Man allegedly swallows his cocaine
A man allegedly swallowed five bags of cocaine after police tried to pull him over for outstanding warrants, according to Det. Lt. Charles Campbell.
Officers noticed Joel Lopez, 26, Hoboken, while patrolling Newark St., and knew he had an outstanding warrant, according to Campbell.
When his vehicle reached a red light, officers activated their lights and asked him to pull over.
Police said Lopez allegedly ignored them even though his car windows were down, and when officers approached the car, they noticed that Lopez and his passenger both allegedly had alcoholic beverages between their legs.
After being ordered out of the car several times, Lopez allegedly reached in to the console of the car and put objects in his mouth in plain view of the officers.
The men were physically removed from the vehicle, Campbell said. Police said they suspect that Lopez ate five bags of cocaine, and he was transported to Hoboken University Medical Center for evaluation.
Lopez had two warrants from Jersey City and was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, tampering with evidence, obstructing the administration of law, and resisting arrest.
His passenger was given a summons for public consumption of alcohol.
Catching car break-ins
A man and two juveniles were arrested in connection to two separate car break-ins, according to police, and both were apprehended based on eyewitness accounts.
On July 5, police arrested two juveniles, 17 and 15 years old, from Jersey City for burglary, theft of movable property, and criminal mischief.
They apprehended the two boys on the 700 block of Newark Street, after a witness called police and gave a description of the two smashing a front windshield a block away and taking a black backpack from the car. Police said the owner of the car was contacted and his possessions were retrieved.
On July 6, a witness called police and told them a man was breaking into a BMW on the 800 block of Hudson Street.
Police found the car. The man described by the witness was being detained by Stevens Institute police, Campbell said.
According to police, the man, Edwin Figuroa, 45, who was homeless, said he was trying to sell his possessions, which police found to include a BMW owner’s manual with insurance information that matched the car.
Figuroa also allegedly had tennis racquets, a cell phone, and an iPod in his possession, police said.
Police said he apologized, allegedly claiming he only did it because the car was unlocked.
Police did not find any trace of forced entry into the vehicle and returned the items to the car owner.
Two incidents on Fourth of July
Other than some small instances, local officials said the Fourth of July celebration was a success.
A policeman directing traffic on Hudson Street arrested Eric Moore, 50, of the Hoboken Homeless Shelter and charged him with disorderly conduct after he allegedly refused to leave the middle of the street and allegedly shouted expletives at the police officer.
In another incident just after midnight, police noticed fireworks being set off on Garden Street and they gained access to the roof from a nearby building.
Police found a man setting them off and confiscated a “huge array” of fireworks, according to Campbell, but charges are still pending.