Police: Cedar Grove Woman Arrested For Shoplifting, Assaulting Officer

A Cedar Grove woman, who was arrested three times in a two-day period earlier this month, was arrested again over the weekend, this time on shoplifting and aggravated assault charges, officials said.

In the latest incident, Ewa O’Brien, 59, was arrested on Sunday, April 21 after police arrived at the Cedar Grove Super Foodtown, located at 597 Pompton Ave., to investigate a shoplifting incident allegedly involving O’Brien at approximately 8:28 p.m.

In the previous incidents, O'Brien was also arrested three times on a variety of charges in Cedar Grove between Saturday, April 13, and Sunday, April 14.

On April 21, a Foodtown employee identified O'Brien as the alleged shoplifter when police arrived.

O'Brien had allegedly attempted to leave the store without paying for $79.62 worth of groceries, police said.

While police were conducting interviews, O'Brien allegedly intentionally stamped on the right foot of a Cedar Grove police officer. After the officer placed her under arrest, police said, O'Brien kicked the officer in the knee and leg.

O'Brien was taken to police headquarters for processing and was then turned over to the Essex County Sheriff’s Department at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark.

She was wanted on a warrant for charges relating to an earlier Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) incident, according to an Essex County Sheriff's spokesman.

O'Brien, who already had a May 1 court date for driving while suspended charges, will also have to answer to shoplifting and aggravated assault on a police officer charges in Superior Court in Newark.