Police Beat

Compiled by Timothy J. Carroll

Wrong way for fireman’s nephew

Police arrested Jeffrey Delapaz, 23, of Laurence Harbor, N.J., for driving while intoxicated after Delapaz was apprehended allegedly driving the wrong way on a one-way street.
Delapaz’ uncle and passenger in the car, Jack Llanza, 40, of Jersey City, was also arrested for allegedly refusing to exit the vehicle at police request, after asking cops why the two were being pulled over since he was a firefighter, police said.
At 12:42 a.m. on Monday, May 10, police intercepted Delapaz in a blue Dodge Neon allegedly driving north – the wrong way – on Willow Avenue at First Street.
The officer said he smelled alcohol coming from the car and noticed Delapaz’ slurred speech.
Llanza allegedly said to police, “What are you stopping us for? What is the problem? I am a fireman,” according to a police report.
The officer gave Delapaz some field sobriety exercises, which Delapaz failed to complete, police said. Llanza, the uncle, was allegedly yelling and becoming irate, according to the report.
After exiting the vehicle, according to the police report, Delapaz almost fell while standing with one leg raised, then allegedly told the officer, “Officer, I know I am drunk. What can I do?”
Delapaz was arrested and refused a breathalyzer test at headquarters, which added another offense.
He was charged with driving the wrong way on a one-way road, driving while intoxicated, and refusing to submit to chemical testing.
While police were waiting to tow the car, they asked Llanza – who they also believed to be drunk – to exit the vehicle.
He allegedly refused, police said. Allegedly, Llanza put his seatbelt on and told officers, “You will have to pull me out of the car.”
After some coaxing, Llanza exited the car, and was arrested for obstructing justice.
Police said Llanza is a fire dispatcher in Jersey City.

Allegedly backed into two women, man

John Salemme, 25, of Fairview, N.J., turned himself into police after he allegedly backed his vehicle into two women and three men, knocking them to the ground. The three people alleged that the driver backed into them after unsuccessfully hitting on the two women.
Police were dispatched to the corner of Newark and Washington streets at 2:56 a.m. on Sunday, May 9 after a call from one of the victims.
A bouncer from a nearby bar told the officers that a male and two female victims were hit by a Dodge Durango that was backing out of a parking spot on Newark Street. The car contained five to seven passengers, the bouncer told police.
The male victim told police he and two female friends had just exited a bar on Washington Street and were standing on the corner at Newark Street. According to the police report, the man sitting in the driver’s seat of the Durango, which was parked on Newark Street, began making comments at the two women, to which the male victim replied, “Guys, the girls are with me.” Just then the Durango reversed five feet toward the curb and allegedly hit the male’s back, knocking him into the two females and causing all three to hit the ground, according to the police report.
None of the three victims were seriously injured and only one of the female victims required medical attention.
The Durango then left but the victim caught the license plate number. Police traced it to a Fairview resident and alerted Fairview police.
The car owner was contacted and Salemme soon turned himself in to police in Hoboken. He told police he was the designated driver and never realized that he struck the pedestrians. Two passengers from the back seat of the car told police they did not hear or see anyone behind the car, nor did they feel any impact as they exited the parking spot.
Salemme was charged with assault by auto and released on a summons.

Allegedly smashes cop car window

Police arrested Frankie Gonzalez, 22, of Kearny, for disorderly conduct. Police said that Gonzalez then became so infuriated that he allegedly smashed the back window of a police cruiser.
It happened after officers responded to a fight outside a bar on the 500 block of Madison Street at 2:26 a.m. on Sunday, May 9. They found “a number of males” gathered in the street and fighting, according to the police report.
While trying to control the situation, police asked a bloodied victim what the problem was, and the man told police that a bouncer “assaulted” him, but he was unable to identify the bouncer and declined to file a complaint.
Police then spoke with Gonzalez, who was standing in the street and bleeding from his mouth. Gonzalez allegedly greeted a baton-carrying police officer by saying, “Go ahead, hit me. [Expletive] hit me!”
After failing to calm himself and continuing to allegedly cause a disturbance, police alerted Gonzalez that he was being arrested for disorderly conduct.
At this time, Gonzalez’ friend, Jonathan Dobie, 21, of Kearny, was allegedly interfering with police apprehension and demanded that police arrest him too. Dobie was charged with obstruction of justice and placed in the police car.
Then, Gonzalez allegedly resisted arrest by flailing his arms sending himself and an officer to the ground. Police said he was allegedly yelling obscenities and banging his head against the window of the cop car after being handcuffed and placed inside.
Gonzalez then allegedly kicked the rear window of the police car, shattering the glass and sending pieces flying.
He was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and criminal mischief.

© 2000, Newspaper Media Group