Another Wave Of Holiday Arrests In Hoboken: Halloween 2018

HOBOKEN, NJ — The Halloween weekend proved to be a test of patience for many Hoboken residents, who once again endured an assortment of allegedly intoxicated, dangerous behavior from out-of-town holiday revelers.

According to the Hoboken Police Department, officers made eight arrests, including seven during a four-hour stretch. Some statistics from the Halloween weekend were encouraging; there were no complaints of sexual assault or lewdness, and only four tavern reports among more than 130 drinking establishments.

However, a city that “has become the hot spot for the Halloween weekend” is bound to create a busy weekend for local emergency responders… and 2018 was no exception, Hoboken police reported. From midnight on Saturday, Oct. 27 to 4 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 28, the HPD saw 351 calls for service.

In addition to a DWI-related vehicle pursuit and an aggravated assault (see below for details), incidents included over-intoxicated drinkers, over-occupancy bars, a warrant-related arrest, a domestic-related assault, disturbing the peace, public urination and marijuana possession, authorities said.

It was just another busy holiday season for cops in Hoboken, who have also seen invasions of boozing, brawling Santa Clauses at Christmas and intoxicated St. Patrick’s Day revelers during an annual unofficial city pub crawl.

• See related article: Hoboken Sees Boozing, Brawling, Urinating Santa Invasion
• See related article: Annual ‘Leprecon’ Pub Crawl In Hoboken Ends In 15 Arrests

As he has in the past, Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante provided live updates of the action on Twitter (story continues below).

DRIVER FLEES CRASH, GETS DWI

A pair of Hoboken officers heard a vehicle crash into something near 2nd and Washington Streets at 1:28 a.m. When they arrived at the scene, they found a car that had apparently struck a pole, police said.

When officers approached the car, its reverse lights suddenly came on. The officers yelled at the driver, “Stop! Police!” However, the driver – later identified as Animesh Mohanty, 29, of Jersey City – continued to reverse, almost striking pedestrians in the process, authorities said.

The officers ran to the car and continued to yell for Mohanty to stop, but he drove away and headed west on 2nd Street and south on Grand Street. Officers pursuing the car saw it enter a lot at 400 Newark Street, where they pulled it over. The officers conducted field sobriety tests on Mohanty due to the “odor of alcoholic beverage,” which he allegedly failed, authorities said.

Police arrested Mohanty and charged him with resisting and eluding arrest, driving while intoxicated in a school zone, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and four motor vehicle summonses. He was later released to a sober party, authorities said.

‘HE KNOCKED HIM OUT’

Around 2:55 a.m., three Hoboken police officers were in the area of 1st and Bloomfield Streets when they saw a commotion with a group of people. When they got to the group, they find an unconscious man lying on the ground, authorities said.

After three witnesses at the scene told officers that the man was assaulted by Cody Brown, 25, of Woodbridge, police asked Brown what happened. Brown then allegedly told officers that the man was “insulting him” and talking about his family, so he “knocked him out,” authorities said.

Police arrested Brown and charged him with aggravated assault.

Keep updated with local public safety alerts at the Patch Hoboken Facebook page. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photo: Oleksiy Maksymenko / imageBROKER/Shutterstock