Police: Driver Who Struck Pedestrian Issued Summons

The following information is provided by the Ridgewood Police Department for the press, and compiled by Patch. Possible charges listed do not signify guilt or innocence of the accused, as this is merely a list of incidents provided by the police, not convictions.

• Hawthorne resident turned over to Fair Lawn P.D.

On Aug. 10 at 12:47 a.m., Ptl. Jeffrey Casson arrested Erin M. Green of Hawthorne on an outstanding warrant issued by the Fair Lawn Municipal Court. The accused was unable to post bail and turned over to the Fair Lawn Police.

• Resident hoodwinked in Craigslist scam     

On Aug. 12, a Ridgewood resident was scammed after posting an ad on Craigslist. The resident reported that she had been contacted by an individual regarding an ad she posted for tutoring. The individual then sent a check to the Ridgewood resident for more than the contracted amount and requested that the extra money be wired to a person in Pennsylvania. The victim deposited the check and wired the money as requested. The victim was later contacted that the check was invalid and the money was removed from the account. The Ridgewood Detective Bureau is  investigating the matter.

• Glass door broken in would-be break-in

On Aug. 12, a North Van Dien Avenue resident reported that someone had broken a sliding glass door in the rear of her home. The person who broke the glass did not gain entry to the home. The matter is under investigation by the Ridgewood Detective Bureau.

• Possible attempted break-in at seniors' home

On Aug. 12, a West End Avenue resident reported finding pry marks on the front and rear door of his elderly parent's home. He was unsure if the marks were an entry attempt or a health care worker attempting to gain entry after forgetting a key. The matter is under investigation by the Ridgewood Detective Bureau.

• iPod becomes someone-else's-pod

On Aug. 13, a Ridgewood resident reported that she had parked her vehicle in the Lester Stable Parking lot. When she returned someone had stolen her iPod from the vehicle. The matter is under investigation by the Ridgewood Detective Bureau.

• Apparent tampering of ATM machine; fraudulent transactions reported

On Aug. 14, staffers at the Bank of America at 25 North Maple Avenue reported that they had found what appeared to be glue residue on the ATM machine. Three individuals later reported that they had noticed fraudulent transactions on their bank accounts after using the North Maple Avenue Branch ATM. This matter is under investigation by the Ridgewood Detective Bureau. The police recommended that all ATM users check their accounts often for suspicious activity. They also recommend that if an ATM seems out-of-the-ordinary, do not use the machine. Instead, contact the bank.

• Resident resists arrest

On Aug. 15, 2010 at 3:43 a.m., patrolling officers responded to a Wellington Road Address on a 911 hang up call. When they arrived, police found an intoxicated individual arguing with two other people living in the home, police said. The intoxicated person became confrontational with the responding officers and was arrested, police said. Joshua A. Schneider was charged with obstruction of justice and resisting arrest. He was released pending an appearance in Ridgewood Municipal Court.

• Contractors vs. Sunday Quiet

On Aug. 15, patrolling officers responded to the Ridgewood High School field after being notified by residents that contractors were working on Sunday, which is a violation of the Village noise ordinance. The company, Land Tek Inc., was issued a summons for working on Sunday. [Editor's note: At Tuesday evening's Planning Board meeting, representatives of Land Tek apologized after Mayor Keith Killion made mention of the incident.]

• Pedestrian struck on Franklin and Oak

 On Aug. 16, 2010 at 12:32 p.m. police responded to the scene of an accident involving a pedestrian and car on the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Oak Street.  The vehicle was driving east on Franklin Avenue and making a left turn onto Oak Street when the pedestrian, a woman described as middle-aged, crossing the crosswalk onto Oak Street was struck. The driver of the vehicle, Saurabh Sharma of Ridgewood, was issued a summons for failure to yield to a pedestrian. The victim was transported to the hospital for injuries sustained in the accident.

• Bicycle involved in accident with motor vehicle

On Aug. 16  at 1:31 p.m., police responded to the scene of another accident, this time involving a bicycle and a  car at the corner of Prospect Street and Grove Street. According to police, the vehicle was stopped on Grove Street preparing to make a right on red; the bicyclist was traveling north on the Grove Street sidewalk road across Grove Street and struck the vehicle. The bicyclist had minor injuries and refused medical attention. 

• Police increasing enforcement of DWI laws

The Ridgewood Police Department also issued the following statement: "The Ridgewood Police Department would like to remind residents that the department will continue its increased enforcement of Driving While Intoxicated Laws. Officers will be looking for the signs of under the influence drivers and taking the appropriate action."