Crime & Safety
Cedar Grove Police Blotter
The following information has been provided by the Cedar Grove Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.
March 19: Cedar Grove police and fire responded to a fire alarm at Caterbury Nursing Home on Pompton Avenue at 10:07 a.m.
When officers arrived they saw smoke coming from a vent on the side building and on the first floor.
A maintenance man from the nursing home told officers the fire came from a motor in the elevator room, which he said he put it out with a fire extinguisher.
The fire department put out the rest of the fire and ventilated the smoke from the building.
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The cause of the fire was determined to be from the belt of an elevator motor that failed, overheated and caught fire. There were no reported injuries.
March 19: Police responded to an attempted theft at Budd’s Auto Body on Pompton Avenue at 3 p.m.
The manager told police he saw an unknown black man crouching behind a desk in the office and when the man was asked what he was doing, he dropped his cell phone and ran out the back. The man drove off in a waiting Chevy Blazer toward Verona.
The owner said nothing was missing but police are still investigating.
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March 20: Police arrested Peter J. Lawless, 19, of North Caldwell for a driving while intoxicated after being pulled over for erratic driving at 1:19 a.m.
March 20: Staples on Pompton Avenue reported a tall black man hid several items under his coat and left without paying for the items.
After a search by both Cedar Grove and Verona police, Verona police found and arrested Robert Smiley, 47, of Montclair on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair.
Police recovered the stolen items, with a value of $119.80. In addition, items from Amazing Savings Store in Verona were also recovered.
Smiley was charged with shoplifting and will appear in front of Cedar Grove Municipal Court.
March 22: A 50-year-old Cedar Grove man was taken to the hospital after he was rear-ended in an accident at Pompton and Young avenues on March 22.
Police said the man, whose identity was not released, was stopped at the intersection waiting to make a left-hand turn, when he was struck from behind by a Dodge Durango.
The Durango was being driven by a 20-year-old Wayne man, who had a 19-year-old woman from Hackensack in his car. They both received leg injuries. The man was taken to Mountainside Hospital for his injuries but the woman declined to go to the hospital.
According to police, the 19-year-old said he looked away for a moment and didn't see the Explorer had stopped to make the turn. After being struck, the Explorer crossed both oncoming lanes, jumped a curb and crashed into a fence on the 600 block of Pompton Avenue.
March 24: Police stopped Christopher H. Allen, 43, of Elmwood Park at 7:21 a.m. for a traffic violation.
After a computer check of Allen, officers found out his driver’s license was suspended and was taken to headquarters. Police also found out Allen had an outstanding warrant out of Elmwood Park.
He was processed and released with appearances in both Cedar Grove and Elmwood Park courts.
March 24: After a report of a possibly intoxicated driver on Pompton Avenue, police found the vehicle and driver on South Mountain Avenue.
Police arrested Richard A. Sorice, 51, of Bloomfield after identifying signs of impairment and smelled alcohol on his breath.
Sorice was charged with driving while intoxicated. He is set to appear in Cedar Grove municipal court.
