Cranford Police Make Arrests for Drug Possession, DWI

Speeding and driving without headlights is a potentially deadly combination, but when Cranford police stepped in last week, they found an even more dangerous situation.

It was just after 1:30 in the morning on June 11 when police observed a vehicle driving without headlights while travelling at a high rate of speed on North Ave. East near the Garden State Parkway. After being pulled over, the driver, Hugo Taviera of Elizabeth, was arrested by Officer John Rattigan for possession of CDS marijuana, paraphernalia, and DWI.  He was also charged with failure to exhibit insurance, no headlights, possession of CDS in a motor vehicle and careless driving.  

All was generally quiet until  7:50 pm, when police, who were stationed at North Ave. and Carpenter Pl., observed a driver who was not wearing his seatbelt. The suspect, 32-year-old David Lugo of Roselle Park was arrested for possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and possession of narcotic paraphernalia. He was also charged with failure to wear a seatbelt, an unregistered vehicle, and failure to make repairs, as well as CDS possession in a motor vehicle.

On June 9, police stopped a vehicle on Walnut Ave. and Lincoln Ave. for careless driving. Soon after, the driver, 42-year-old Kevin Coyne of Cranford, was arrested for DWI. Officer Kelly Stretenovic also charged the suspect with refusal to submit to breath tests, careless driving and failure to keep right.

There was another drug-related incident on June 13, when at 3:09 am, Officer Brian Lopez stopped a vehicle in the Cayuga Rd. jughandle for a passenger not wearing his seatbelt. Through further investigation, the passenger, 26-year-old Nathaniel Pearson of Hillside, was arrested for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, and was cited for not wearing his seatbelt. 

One day later, at 7:07 pm on June 14,  police stopped a vehicle on Raritan Rd and Moen Ave. for driving at a high rate of speed. It was later found that the driver, 25-year-old Paul Bennett of Verona, Pa. and the passenger, Davenra Naraine, of Brooklyn, NY, were in possession of marijuana and other paraphernalia. Both occupants were arrested by Officer Stephen Durkin. Bennett also received a summons for careless driving.  

Driving without a seatbelt also came into play at 7:05 pm on June 15, when police stopped a vehicle on South Ave at Lincoln Ave West. After further investigation by Officer Thomas Stiansen, the passenger, 21-year-old Sarah Waraksa, was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia.