Police Blotter ImageWeekly Police Blotter – Press Release

July 1st, 2014 thru July 8th, 2014

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  • Eluding, Resisting Arrest, and Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer (Arrest) – On Tuesday, July8, 2014, Detective Brian Flynn charged 22-year-old Eugene J. Fisher Jr. of 601 East Arverne Avenue in Ocean Gate with multiple criminal offenses related to the June 18, 2014, incident involving a stolen Jeep Cherokee out of Waretown, NJ. The June 18th incident involved the driver jumping from the stolen vehicle, fleeing on foot, resisting arrest upon being apprehended by Officer Ewart, then fleeing again after the officer was injured wrestling with the fleeing suspect in a backyard of a residence during the overnight hours (Click for the posting regarding the Original Incident). Eugene J. Fisher was charged with the 2nd degree crime of Eluding, 3rd Degree Resisting Arrest, 3rd degree Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer, and 4th Degree Criminal Mischief. A criminal warrant was issued with bail set at $75,000. Eugene J. Fisher Jr. was served with the charges at the Ocean County Correctional Facility where he is currently lodged on unrelated charges. Possible additional charges are pending further investigation.

  • Forgery, Theft, and Warrant (Arrest) – On Monday, July 7, 2014, Officer John Simonson completed a five week investigation that began on May 27, 2014. On May 27, 2014, Officer Simonson responded to the 900 block of Capstan Drive in Forked River for a fraud report. The victim reported that several checks were stolen from his residence and later cashed at a local bank during the month of May 2014. The total cash received at the bank is estimated at $1,800. During Officer Simonson’s investigation he identified the accused as 39-year-old Michael A. Ragusa with a last known address of Pine Tree Drive in Forked River. On Monday, July 7, 2014, Officer Simonson charged Michael Ragusa with four (4) counts of Forgery, Uttering a Forged Instrument, and Theft by Deception. Bail was set at $50,000. On Tuesday, July 8, 2014, at approximately 10:00 a.m. Officer Michael Eden took Michal Ragusa into custody at the Lacey Township Police Department. Michael Ragusa was arrested and processed. In addition to the above charges, Michael Ragusa had an outstanding Berkeley Township Municipal Court warrant in the amount of $350. Michael Ragusa was lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility in default of the bail.

  • Warrant Arrest – On Monday, July 7, 2014, at 11:58 a.m., Officer Frederick Anderson conducted a traffic stop on Clifton Street and Weehawkin Avenue in Forked River. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of the driver, identified as 24-year-old Alysha M. Manhat of Cedar Drive in Lanoka Harbor, on an outstanding Lacey Township warrant in the amount of $500. Alysha M. Manhat was processed at police headquarters and released ROR pending a court date.

  • Theft – On Sunday, July 6, 2014, at 6:23 p.m., Officer Keith Pearce responded to the Wawa, located at 444 Route 9 South in Forked River, for a theft of gasoline. The employee reported that just prior to contacting this agency, a male subject in a Chevy Avalanche exited his vehicle and pumped $25 worth of gas in it and then left without making payment. The employee was able to record the license plate of the vehicle and a suspect has been identified. Officer Pearce is continuing his investigation and charges are pending.

  • Shoplifting, Warrant, and Resisting (Arrest) – On Sunday, July 6, 2014, at 1:42 p.m., Officer John D. Simonson responded to the Wawa, located at 800 Lacey Road in Forked River, for a shoplifting incident that just occurred. The suspect exited the store prior to Officer Simonson’s arrival. Upon arrival, Officer Simonson identified the accused as 28-year-old Ryan P. Lee with a last known address of Spruce Road in Lanoka Harbor. Officer Simonson learned that there was an outstanding no-bail warrant for Ryan P. Lee issued from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department. Officer Simonson located Ryan P. Lee riding a bicycle on Harrison Avenue near Baldwin Street in Forked River. When Officer Simonson advised him he was under arrest, Ryan P. Lee jumped off of his bicycle and fled on foot toward Lakeside Drive North. Additional officers responded to the area. Ryan P. Lee was located in the rear yard of 755 Lakeside Drive North and taken into custody. Ryan P. Lee was transported to Lacey Police Headquarters and processed. Ryan P. Lee was charged with Shoplifting and Resisting Arrest. His bail was set at $2,500. Ryan P. Lee was lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility in default of bail.

  • Fireworks (Formal Charge) – On Sunday, July 6, 2014, at 1:59 a.m., Officer Michael Verwey responded to the 400 block of Tappan Street in Forked River for a complaint of fireworks. Officer Verwey conducted an investigation at the scene and determined that 31-year-old Stephan G. Drum, Jr., of Tappan Street in Forked River, was responsible for the fireworks. He was issued a Complaint Summons at the scene for state law prohibiting fireworks.

  • Theft – On Sunday, July 6, 2014, at 1:27 a.m., Officer George Resetar responded to the 800 block of Tiller Lane in Forked River for a theft report. The victim reported the between 11:15 p.m. on July 5, 2014, and 1:15 a.m. on July 6, 2014, an unknown person or persons stole his helmet from his motorcycle while it was parked in front of the residence. The helmet was described as a “Scorpion EXO” and was red, white, and blue in color. The value of the helmet is estimated at $360.

  • Warrant Arrest – On Sunday, July 6, 2014, at 12:02 a.m., Officers George Resetar, Adam Ewart, and Evan Androcy, responded to the 100 block of Clairmore Avenue in Lanoka Harbor in regard to assisting another agency. While at the residence, a no-bail warrant issued from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department was located for one of the occupants, identified as 29-year-old Hector A. Mejias of Lexington Boulevard in Barnegat, NJ. Hector Mejias was arrested and later lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility in default of the no-bail warrant.

  • Underage Consumption of Alcohol (Formal Charges) – On Saturday, July 5, 2014, at 3:37 a.m., Officer Adam Ewart responded to the 1000 block of Laurel Boulevard in Lanoka Harbor for a report of a suspicious incident involving a person hiding in bushes. Upon arrival, Officer Ewart met with 19-year-old Carissa Henry of Herkimer Court in Barnegat, NJ, who was intoxicated. An investigation at the scene determined that she was attending a party on Laurel Boulevard where she was consuming alcoholic beverages. Carissa Henry was issued a complaint summons for Underage Consumption of Alcohol and released at the scene to a relative. The owner of the Laurel Boulevard residence was identified as 26-year-old Michael Giordano. He was issued a complaint summons for allowing the Underage Consumption of Alcohol at his residence.

  • Affray – On Saturday, July 5, 2014, at 2:37 a.m., Officers Adam Ewart, Charles May, and John McKee responded to Route 9 and Warren Avenue in Lanoka Harbor for a report of a fight in the street. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of 22-year-old John M. Stackable of Cypress Street in Brick, NJ, and 20-year-old Dillon J. Ponzo of Middle Drive in Toms River, NJ, for mutual consent fighting. Each subject was issued a complaint summons for mutual fighting and released at the scene.

  • Fireworks (Formal Charge) and Warrants – On Friday, July 4, 2014, at 12:41 a.m., Officers Charles May and John McKee responded to the area of Clifton Street and Harrison Avenue in Forked River for a complaint of fireworks. Upon arrival, they located a subject identified as 32-year-old Christopher J. Commiso of Chelsea Avenue in Ocean Gate, NJ, actively discharging fireworks. During the course of their investigation, the officers discovered two outstanding warrants for Christopher Commiso. Warrant number one (1) was issued by the Ocean Gate Municipal Court in the amount of $1,364, and warrant number two (2) was issued by the Manchester Township Municipal Court in the amount of $498. Christopher Commiso was arrested and transported to police headquarters where he was processed and issued a complaint and summons for the fireworks violation. Christopher Commiso was lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility in default of the bail on the outstanding warrants.

  • Fireworks (Formal Charge) – On Friday, July 4, 2014, at 9:59 p.m., Special Officer James Perotti was dispatched to the 900 block of Capstan Drive in Forked River for a complaint of fireworks. Upon arrival, Special Officer Perotti observed fireworks being discharged. Special Officer Perotti issued a complaint summons to 55-year-old Paul S. Piscitelli of Saint John’s Place in Union, NJ, for the violation of the state law prohibiting fireworks.

  • Fireworks (Formal Charge) – On Friday, July 4, 2014, at 9:09 p.m., Special Officer James Perotti responded to the 1200 block of Varuna Drive in Forked River for a complaint of fireworks. Upon his arrival, Special Officer Perotti observed a male subject, identified as 45-year-old Glen R. Howard of Patton Place in Dumont, NJ, discharging fireworks. Special Officer Perotti issued Glen R. Howard a complaint summons for the violation of the state law prohibiting fireworks.

  • Criminal Mischief (Auto) – On Friday, July 4, 2014, at 5:56 p.m. Officer Jeffrey Slota responded to the 1900 block of W. Lacey Road in the Bamber Lakes section of Lacey Township for a report of criminal mischief. The victim reported that between the afternoon of Thursday, July 3, 2014, and the afternoon of Friday, July 4, 2014, an unknown person or persons threw a landscaping stone through the front windshield of the vehicle. The vehicle was parked along the side of the house at the time of the incident. The damage is estimated at $500.

  • Possession of Hypodermic Needle and Trespassing (Arrest) – On Thursday, July 3, 2014, at 8:17 p.m., Officers Charles May and John McKee responded to the Wawa, located at 444 Route 9 South in Forked River, on a trespass complaint. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of 22-year-old Ryan D. Territo of Pollar Street in Waretown, NJ, for trespassing. (Ryan Territo was given prior notice by store management that he was not allowed on Wawa property.) In addition, Ryan Territo was found to be in possession of a hypodermic needle. Ryan Territo was transported to police headquarters and processed. He was released after receiving a criminal summons for Trespassing and Possession of a Hypodermic Needle.

  • Heroin Distribution (Arrests) – On the afternoon of Wednesday, July 2, 2014, Lacey Township Police Department detectives arrested four Lacey Township males as part of an ongoing heroin distribution investigation. During surveillance, a vehicle driven by 30-year-old Joseph Bevilacqua of Ashwood Place in Lanoka Harbor and his passenger, 41-year-old John Daly of Enterprise Drive in Forked River, were observed traveling to various homes engaging in suspicious interactions consistent with drug distribution. During the surveillance which led to a Serpentine Drive residence in the Pines Section of Forked River, detectives observed 23-year-old Matthew Copeland of Lakeside Drive South in Forked River enter the rear seat of the vehicle and engage in what appeared to be a drug transaction. Detectives approached the vehicle and upon the detectives being recognized as law enforcement, Joseph Bevilacqua quickly sped from the area driving recklessly at a high rate of speed through a residential area while Matthew Copeland attempted to exit the moving vehicle on several occasions. The vehicle came to a stop near Huffy Wallis Park in the Pines Section of Forked River where all three occupants were placed under arrest. A search of the vehicle by detectives and a K-9 unit from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department yielded 92 bags of heroin. Members of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Warrants Division responded to the 315 Yorktown Drive residence where the fourth suspect, 26-year-old Christopher Jones, was arrested as he attempted to flee through a rear window of the home. Joseph Bevilacqua was incarcerated in the Ocean County Correctional Facility on $100,000 cash bail after being charged with Possession of Heroin, Distribution of Heroin, Intent to Distribute within 500 feet of a Public Park, and Eluding Police. John Daly, who was a wanted person for a violation of probation from a previous drug charge, was lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility in lieu of an additional $35,000 bail for charges of Possession of Heroin and Distribution of Heroin. Matthew Copeland was charged with Criminal Attempt to Possess Heroin and released on his own recognizance. Christopher Jones was transported to jail in connection with an outstanding no-bail warrant issued by the Ocean County Superior Court. The Lacey Township Police Department seized Joseph Bevilacqua’s vehicle, a Lexus, and will be seeking civil forfeiture, as it was used in the furtherance of a crime.

  • Warrant Arrest – On Thursday, July 3, 2014, at 2:50 p.m., Special Officer Travis Horton conducted a traffic stop on Laurel Boulevard in Lanoka Harbor. The driver, identified as 31-year-old Jennifer M. Palmieri of Ocean Avenue in Beachwood, NJ, was arrested on an outstanding warrant issued from the Paramus Borough Municipal Court in the amount of $150. Jennifer Palmieri was transported to police headquarters and processed. She was released after posting bail.

  • Hindering Apprehension (Arrest) – On Thursday July 3, 2014, at 7:14 a.m., Officer Robert Flynn conducted a traffic stop in the parking lot of 918 Lacey Road in Forked River. Investigation at the scene led to the arrest of the driver, identified as 32-year-old Ignat Safarov of E. Long Branch Avenue in Ocean Gate, NJ, for Hindering Apprehension by providing a false name to a law enforcement officer and for Driving While Suspended for a DUI. Ignat Safarov was transported to police headquarters and processed. He was released after receiving a criminal summons for Hindering Apprehension and Driving while Suspended during a period of suspension for DUI. In addition, Ignat Safarov was issued traffic summonses for driving with a suspended driver’s license and for making an improper a right on red violation.

  • Burglary and Theft (Auto) – On Thursday, July 3, 2014, at 1:33 a.m., Officer Charles May responded to police headquarters for a report of a car burglary that occurred on the 900 block of Elwood Street in Forked River. Upon arrival, he met with the victim who reported that between 9:30 p.m. on July 2, 2014, and 1:20 a.m. on July 3, 2014, an unknown person or persons entered his vehicle while it was parked in the driveway of a residence on the 900 block of Elwood Street. The victim reported that the doors were locked, however, he left his window slightly down and believes that is how entry was gained. Stolen from the vehicle was approximately $100 in cash and $20 in lottery tickets.

  • Warrant(s) Arrest – On Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at 5:46 p.m., Special Officer Travis Horton was conducting a check of the Trestle located at 5000 Cedar Avenue in Lanoka Harbor. While checking the area, Special Officer Horton located and arrested 29-year-old Brendan A. Derflinger of Brookdale Park Drive in Forked River on four (4) outstanding warrants issued by the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department for nonsupport. Warrant number one (1) was in the amount of $7,737.85, warrant number two (2) was in the amount of $5,829.98, warrant number three (3) was in the amount of $5,575.00, and warrant number four (4) was in the amount of $3,691.07. Brendan A. Derflinger was transported to the Ocean County Correctional Facility in default of bail.

  • Theft from a Garage – On Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at 3:52 p.m., Officer Scott Keefe responded to the 600 block of Deerhead Lake Drive in Forked River for a burglary. The victim reported that between 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2014, and 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, 2014, an unknown person or persons entered her locked garage and stole her gray bicycle, no further description, valued at $88.00. There were no signs of forced entry.

  • Theft – On Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at 12:51 p.m., Special Officer Travis Horton responded to the 800 block of Hazelton Avenue in Lanoka Harbor for a theft. The victim reported that between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. on July 2, 2014, an unknown person or persons stole her purple Schwinn mountain bike from the front yard of the residence. The bicycle is valued at $200.

  • Warrant Arrest – On Wednesday, July 2, 2014, at 9:30 a.m., Officer Anthony Sarno responded to Birch Street and Chestnut Drive in Lanoka Harbor for a report of a suspicious male. Upon arrival, Officer Sarno located 28-year-old John M. Sabie of Birch Road in Lanoka Harbor who had a no-bail warrant issued from the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department. John Sabie was arrested and lodged in the Ocean County Correctional Facility.

  • Theft – On Tuesday, July 1, 2014, at 4:53 p.m., Officer Evan Androcy responded to the 600 block of Deerhead Lake Drive in Forked River for a theft. The complainant reported that between 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 30, 2014, and 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, 2014, an unknown person or persons entered his property and stole a dirt bike from the side of the residence. The dirt bike was described as a yellow, 1996, Yamaha PW80 with a purple seat. The dirt bike is valued at $400. The dirt bike was covered by a tarp at the time of the theft.