Cabbie allegedly used dead man’s license
Police arrested Charles Merz, 51, of North Bergen, an out-of-town taxi driver who allegedly provided false identification when stopped by a city taxi inspector.
Officers were dispatched to the taxi stand at the Hoboken train station on the complaint of the inspector and asked Merz for identification. Merz allegedly provided police with a photo-less ID that proved later to be false, police said.
Upon search of the vehicle police found an eyeglass case containing two hypodermic needles, a tourniquet, cotton balls in a small plastic bag, a round aluminium cap, and a small jar with water, all items that police said are used in the preparation of heroin.
A fingerprint search revealed Merz’s true identity, police said, and Merz allegedly told the officers that he used a deceased roommate’s license because his was suspended and he needed to work.
Merz was charged with possession of a hypodermic needle, possession of drug paraphernalia, hindering arrest, obstructing justice, and identity theft. Merz was also ticketed for driving without a license.
Jogger v. dogwalker
A woman who was walking her dog along the 100 block of Garden Street told police a female jogger assaulted her with a water bottle at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 4.
The woman said while walking on the sidewalk, her dog walked around a tree, wrapping the leash around her and the tree.
Just then a jogger ran into the leash and allegedly started hitting the dog, the woman told police.
The jogger was described as an African-American woman in her early 40s wearing black shorts, an orange top, an orange bandanna, and holding an orange water bottle.
The dog owner told the jogger to stop hitting the dog, and the woman allegedly then hit the victim in the head and back with her watter bottle.
There were no signs of injury, police said, but the woman would like to press charges for simple assault. Police have not made any arrests.
Rowdy after festival
Police arrested Paul Francis Celauro, 44, of Bayville, N.J., for disorderly conduct after the city’s Arts and Music Festival on Sunday, and charged him again after he allegedly resisted arrest.
According to the police report, Celauro was unprovoked when he allegedly began yelling obscenities at police officers patrolling Washington Street after the festival at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 2.
“[Expletive] you police, yeah, [expletive] the police,” Celauro allegedly yelled as officers approached him.
Since Celauro was causing a public disturbance, police asked him to calm down and provide some identification.
Police said they could smell alcohol on Celauro. They said he responded that he didn’t have any identification and he wasn’t going to give them anything.
Police said that Celauro allegedly began raising his fists in a threatening manner, but after officers asked him to put his hands down and stop yelling, Celauro allegedly said, “No. I’m not going anywhere. [Expletive] you.”
Police began to place Celauro under arrest for disorderly conduct, but police said he allegedly flailed his arms and turned away as officers tried to handcuff him. Officers said they asked him to stop resisting but that he did not comply.
Celauro suffered a scrape on his shoulder from the police interaction, but refused medical attention.
He was also found to have four warrants out for his arrest, including a $5,000 for theft of services in Newark, police said.