Bad ‘Santa’
New York City played host to an event called SantaCon on Dec. 10, a holiday-themed bar crawl that drew thousands of participants who dressed up like St. Nick. Hobokenites participated as well, and at least one local “Santa” allegedly misbehaved when sharing a cab with two women.
At approximately 8 p.m. near the 600 block of Sinatra Drive, a man dressed as Santa, who was with a friend (Santa’s helper?), allegedly got involved in a dispute with two women in a taxicab. Before the ride, the two men were accused of cutting ahead in the line at the Hudson Place taxi stand when they got into the car with the women.
The 41-year-old alleged female victim, a New York City resident, said that she told the two young men, described as in their 20s, each weighing approximately 230 pounds, that they were rude to cut the line.
The man dressed as Santa allegedly called the 41-year-old woman a sexually explicit name. In retaliation, she allegedly threw his Santa hat out of the window, police said. “Santa” then responded by allegedly grabbing the woman’s purse, becoming involved in a physical struggle to take it, opening the door, and throwing the purse over a fence on Sinatra Drive. “Santa” then took off headed south, police said.
The alleged victim eventually retrieved her belongings. The woman also said she received a large bruise on her buttocks and had a sore elbow after her struggle with “Santa.”
A search for “Santa” and his friend was unsuccessful.
Man allegedly drives drunk into police parking lot
Talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A 62-year-old Clifton man was arrested and hit with a bevy of charges after he allegedly drove the wrong way down Hudson Street into the police headquarters parking lot and allegedly struck an officer with his vehicle.
Police say that Vladimir Pantchenko backed out of the lot when officers approached, and allegedly drove the car toward an officer, striking the officer with the vehicle, causing a bruise on his right arm and a laceration on the officer’s finger.
After Pantchenko allegedly tried to drive away, a detective drew his weapon and ordered the man to stop, police said.
Police said that when they opened the door, they detected a strong odor of alcohol.
Pantchenko was ultimately charged with aggravated assault with a motor vehicle, driving under the influence, and driving under the influence within 1,000 feet of a school zone.
Fight over parking space on Washington Street? You don’t say!
Two men were involved in a physical altercation over a parking spot on Dec. 10 at approximately 8:15 p.m. near Eighth and Washington streets.
A 26-year-old male and a 28-year-old male became involved in a verbal dispute that turned physical over a parking space. However, neither party wished to pursue a criminal complaint.
Police didn’t say who ultimately got the spot.
Audi taken from 800 block of Madison Street
A 28-year-old Irvington resident was charged with burglary, resisting arrest, theft of moveable property, and possession of burglary tools after he allegedly stole a black Audi on Dec. 10.
A resident called police after hearing two men allegedly trying to break into the car, and when police arrived, the car was gone. Police caught up with the two men near where the car had been parked, and the two men fled.
Police say one man got away, but Omar Atris was caught by police allegedly hiding behind a small fence between large bushes, according to a police report.
Atris was placed under arrest following a brief struggle.
Woman hit with whiskey glass, police say
A 24-year-old woman was struck with a whiskey glass at an uptown bar on 14th Street on Dec. 10 at approximately 2:15 a.m., police say.
A witness told police that a man in a green plaid shirt was talking to a female patron who seemed uncomfortable with the man’s advances, police say. A 24-year-old woman then told the man he should leave the other woman alone, the witness said. However, when the green-shirted man allegedly tried to throw a drink in the 24-year-old’s face, the glass slipped and hit the woman, according to a witness quoted in a police report.
The alleged victim had a laceration above her eye, and a “tavern sheet”—a record of the incident—was generated against the bar, according to police.
Officer allegedly assaulted
A 31-year-old Jersey City man, Juan Lopez, was charged with resisting arrest and aggravated assault on Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. after he allegedly struck a police officer on the 700 block of Jackson Street, according to a police report.
Police say they noticed a male hunched over in a vehicle and that he was unresponsive. After an ambulance was summoned, police said Lopez tried to walk away from officers, according to police. After two police officers tried to stop him, Lopez allegedly struck the officer on the right side of his face, and all three fell to the ground in a scuffle, according to police.
Later, the man said he didn’t remember what happened, and police presumed the man was intoxicated, according to a police report.
You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here
A 22-year-old man said he wanted to finish the beer he just bought, but a bouncer at the uptown Grand Street bar said he had to leave the bar. The incident occurred on Dec. 10 at approximately 2:30 a.m.
The 22-year-old said that the bouncer “began to push him out the door.” The 22-year-old said he then threw a napkin in the bouncer’s face, and the bouncer allegedly struck him twice in the face. The 22-year-old said he walked away and called police.
However, the bouncer said that the 22-year-old had already been kicked out earlier but tried to return, and became involved in a scuffle, according to police.
No charges were filed, and a tavern sheet was generated for the bar.
Wild Tuesday morning lands 28-year-old in handcuffs
Rory Coons, 28, of Jersey City, was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct on Dec. 13 at 1:15 a.m. after police say he was allegedly acting belligerently near the 50 block of Newark Street.
After speaking with Coons they said there was “no reasoning with him,” according to police.
Coons began shouting profanities, police allege, and he was charged with disturbing the peace. After Coons allegedly yelled at and attempted “to demoralize and embarrass [a] pedestrian,” police arrested him for disorderly conduct.
But police say the activity didn’t end at headquarters.
Police say Coons allegedly hurled an obscenity at the cops, and when he was told he would have to go before a judge, police say he repeated the obscenity with reference to the judge. Coon is due in Municipal Court later this month.