Shirtless, Yelling Man Arrested With Crack-Cocaine In Belleville: Police

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Belleville police arrested a shirtless, yelling man last month after he allegedly attempted to swallow five baggies of crack-cocaine in front of multiple officers, authorities say.

According to the Belleville Police Department, officers responded to a report of a “suspicious male possibly under the influence of drugs” at a Brighton Avenue residence around 9:14 p.m. on July 31. On arrival, the officers encountered a shirtless man “yelling and stumbling” on the front lawn.

After approaching the man, the officers saw that he was holding five clear baggies of a substance later found to be crack-cocaine, police said.

The man – later identified as Joseph Pio, 42, of Belleville –allegedly attempted to swallow the baggies when police moved in to retrieve them, authorities said.

Police transported Pio to a local hospital for treatment. Authorities later discovered that Pio had four outstanding warrants totaling $2,000 out of other jurisdictions. Belleville police charged Pio with possession of crack-cocaine, destruction of evidence and failure to comply with police.

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