A baby is alive today because of the quick work of a novice Guttenberg policeman. Officer Steve Pelaez responded at 11 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 16 to a 911 call about a choking infant and found the distraught parents in the street near Broadway and 68th.
“The baby was unconscious and they panicked and ran into the middle of the street, waiting for someone to arrive,” said Sgt. Juan Barrera of the Guttenberg Police Department.
The 2-year-old girl was not breathing when Pelaez arrived. He immediately took the child from the parents, opened her mouth, and cleared food that had become lodged in her throat.
“As soon as the baby gasped for air, he put her in the police car and took her to hospital,” said Barrera.
The infant has since been discharged from Palisade Medical Center and is reportedly doing well. She is back in day care.
Pelaez, 26, is a Special Class Two Police Officer in Guttenberg. He has been on the force only four months.
“Since he just graduated from the police academy, he’s a certified first responder,” said Barrera. “He’s also been a volunteer fireman in Fairview for many years so he has fire training as well.”
“He’s been doing excellent work,” added the sergeant.
Car compartment with drugs
A routine traffic stop on Kennedy Boulevard led to more serious charges when drugs were found in the car.
Officer Joseph Keselica pulled over a green 1998 Honda Accord with a loud muffler at about 2 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11. The car was towed to a lot when it was discovered the driver had a suspended license.
The police then received a call from the towing company advising that they had spotted what appeared to be drugs inside the car. A visual inspection revealed what appeared to be a glassine bag about 3 inches by 3 inches in the seating area of the car.
Officer Keselica had the car towed back to Guttenberg Police Headquarters and secured a search warrant, whereupon it was allegedly discovered that the bag contained cocaine.
During the search, “He was able to find a hidden compartment inside the car where there were more drugs located,” according to Sgt. Barrera. “There was a baggie full of smaller baggies separated for distribution in the hidden compartment.”
The driver, a 22-year-old male from West New York, was arrested when he came to pick up his car. He was charged with possession with intent to distribute.
Car thief
Police Officer Franco Delucia, a 10-year veteran of the force, responded to a call at about 6:30 on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 16. A neighbor sitting at his window had reported seeing a male allegedly attempting to break into and hotwire cars in the rear of an apartment building on the 6800 block of Boulevard East.
Delucia spotted a man fitting the description, who fled into a nearby backyard.
“Officer Delucia called to the other units, and they set up a perimeter around the area,” said Barrera.
The suspect was quickly found and apprehended by Delucia in a nearby yard. “Once he was arrested they searched his person and found items from someobody’s car at that building,” said Barrera.
The suspect, an 18-year-old male from West New York, was charged with burglary, theft, burglary tools, and criminal trespass.
Dangerous DWI
Officer Frank Pelaez arrested two people for DWI in separate incidents within a few days. The first was a 42-year-old male from West New York driving a black 2001 Audi with tinted windows. The car was stopped on Saturday, Nov. 15 on River Road for having an obstructed license plate. Officer Palaez smelled a strong odor of alcohol and administered a field sobriety test, which the driver allegedly failed. He was charged with driving while intoxicated.
The second incident was a bit more unusual. On Monday, Nov. 17 at a little past 2 a.m., Pelaez spotted headlights in the trees alongside Ferry Road, the steep incline leading from River Road up to Boulevard East.
The headlights belonged to a gold 2005 Hyundai Elantra that had apparently backed or slid down the hill and gone off-road, dangerously near the edge of the mound overlooking River Road.
The driver was a 28-year-old female from North Bergen.
“She was going up the hill and she was intoxicated,” said Barrera. “It was raining a little bit. Maybe the car started skidding.” The car was discovered wedged between trees and shrubbery.
“Officer Pelaez observed that the driver cut herself and bled all over,” said Barrera. “It appeared she cut her hand in the accident. At that time [Pelaez] smelled the odor of alcohol.”
An ambulance crew from North Bergen cleaned up the wound and the driver refused further medical attention, whereupon she was trans mported to Cliffside Park for alcohol testing. She was then transported to Guttenberg Police Headquarters for processing, where she was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
“They had to tow the car out,” said Barrera.
Pelaez has been on the job in Guttenberg since July. “He came to us from Union City,” said Barrera, “where he was a special police officer.”
“We have a young department,” he added. “They’re very proactive. They’re out there looking. Our guys are doing good work out there.”
Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.