Long Valley Man Tried Entering Neighbor's Home, Resisted Arrest, Cops Say

A Long Valley man was arrested and charged with contempt of court and failing to appear after police found him in his home moments after he allegedly tried break into his neighbor’s house, Washington Township Lt. Doug Compton said.

At 6:16 p.m. on Feb. 19, police were called to a home on Upper Sunset Drive from a resident who stated a man was attempting to get inside the home, Compton said.

When police arrived the suspect had fled, Compton said, and Officer Scott Myers stayed with the woman and her children, while Officer Thomas Falleni and Sgt. Jeff Almer headed to the house next door.

Police headed that way because it was believed that was where the suspect was from, and because footprints in the snow showed the same course, Compton said.

Almer and Falleni met the suspect, Richard Chapman, 53, of Long Valley, in his garage, where he began to resist arrest until the officers were able to subdue him, Compton said.

Chapman was charged with contempt of court, failure to appear, and resisting arrest.

In August 2013, Chapman was arrested for driving while intoxicated and possession of heroin after he crossed over Rt. 206 in Chester Township at 8:50 a.m. and crashed into a parked car, according to newjerseyhills.com.

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