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Dover Police Bust Alleged DUI Driver in Early Morning Incident

By
Frank Cahill
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Photo for illustration purposes only. The actual incident may not reflect the photo.

DOVER — On Sunday, April 14, at 1:22 a.m., Dover Police Officer Ulises Corona observed a 2021 Toyota Rav 4 speeding on East Blackwell Street. The vehicle was swerving erratically and struck the curb near 200 East Blackwell Street.

Officer Corona activated his emergency lights and caught up with the vehicle near South Salem Street. Despite attempts to signal the driver to stop, the vehicle continued, hitting the curb again and running a red light before finally pulling over upon hearing the siren.

Upon approaching the vehicle, Officer Corona detected a strong smell of alcohol emanating from the driver, Guillermo Vera-Lopez, 52, Dover. Field sobriety tests were conducted, which Mr. Vera failed.

Subsequently, Officer Corona placed Mr. Vera under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was then taken to the State Police Netcong Barracks for two Alco-Tests, which revealed a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .22%.

Following processing at Dover Police Headquarters, Mr. Vera was released to a responsible adult after signing a Liability Warning form.

Mr. Vera faces charges including Reckless Driving (39:4-96), Operating Under the Influence of Liquor or Drugs (39:4-50), Careless Driving (39:4-97), and Traffic on Marked Lanes (39:4-88).

Bunky’s Towing removed the vehicle from the scene.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

St. Mary’s Church Garage Sale Extravaganza

By
Frank Cahill
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DOVER — Join St. Mary’s Church for a garage sale on Saturday, May 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Convent for their Garage Sale.

Donations can be dropped off near the barn on Saturday, April 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please refrain from donating furniture or gym equipment. Volunteers are needed on Saturday, May 18. For more information or to volunteer, please contact Rick at (973) 349-8479.cvbnhf

Dover Resident Faces Multiple Charges Following Motor Vehicle Collision

By
Frank Cahill
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File Photo

DOVER — A Dover woman found herself facing charges, including driving while intoxicated, following a motor vehicle crash in Denville Township.

On Saturday, April 13, approximately at 9:55 a.m., law enforcement responded to a minor motor vehicle accident at Anthony & Sons Bakery, situated at 20 Luger Road, according to authorities.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Alexis A. Carranza-Morales of Dover, the driver of one of the involved vehicles, was allegedly operating under the influence.

Carranza-Morales was subsequently arrested and charged with driving under the influence, possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, reckless driving, and careless driving. She was later released pending a court appearance, police confirmed.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Morris County Man Arrested for Aggravated Sexual Assault, Sexual Assault Criminal Sexual Contact, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child

By
Frank Cahill
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The Morris County Correctional Facility, located at 43 John Street in Morris Township, serves as the primary detention center operated by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Montville Township Police Chief Andrew Caggiano confirmed that Juan A. Fernandez, 61, Towaco, has been charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault, Sexual Assault, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

It is alleged that the defendant performed multiple sexual acts on a juvenile male victim from the time the victim was six years old until he was sixteen years old. The investigation began in March of 2024. The incident remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time. The name and identity of the victim will not be released.

As a result of the investigation, Fernandez has been charged with three counts of 1st Degree Aggravated Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(a)(1), three counts of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(c)(4), two counts of 2nd Degree Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(b), one count of 2nd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Sexual Conduct) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(1), one count of 2nd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Abuse/Neglect) in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(2), and two counts of 4th Degree Criminal Sexual Contact in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-3(b).

Pursuant to the Criminal Justice Reform, Fernandez was remanded to the Morris County Correctional Facility, pending a hearing on a motion for detention that the State has filed. The detention hearing will be held on April 17.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes Child Endangerment Unit at (973) 285-6200, or the Montville Township Police Department at (973) 257-4300.

Numerous law enforcement agencies have participated in this investigation, including members of the Montville Township Police Department, Morris County Sheriff’s Department, and Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

East Hanover Firm Among 17 Added to The WALL for Unresolved Labor Violations

By
Frank Cahill
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File Photo

EAST HANOVER — The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) added the names of 17 businesses to its Workplace Accountability in Labor List (The WALL), including an East Hanover business, bringing to 145 the number of employers that have failed to address their outstanding liabilities for violations of wage, benefit or tax laws.

The 17 businesses owe a total of $2,083,795.07, including unpaid contributions to the Unemployment Compensation Fund and State Disability Benefits Fund. The 145 businesses posted to The WALL collectively owe $15.9 million – either directly to their workers or to the state for unpaid taxes or contributions.

Lomelo Design Associates Inc, 299 Ridgedale Avenue, East Hanover, was added to the list on April 5, citing a judgment placed on January 10, 2024, in the amount of $242,825.49.

All American Demolition & Dismantling, 9 Silver Spring Court, East Hanover, remains listed from September 7, 2023, for $113,030.29 for violating NJ Wage Payment Law, NJ State Wage and Hour Law, and NJ Prevailing Wage Act.

OSEC’s Docket # is WALL-EA-000004-2024. They violate the Unemployment Compensation Law, the Temporary Disability Benefits Law, and The Compensation for Family Temporary Disability Leave Law.

One business was removed from The WALL in March after paying its liability of $23,000 to the Uninsured Employer’s Fund. To date, NJDOL has recovered more than $170,000 in outstanding liabilities from businesses posted to The WALL.

The WALL is a powerful enforcement tool that enables the department to publicly name companies that shortchange their workers and skip required contributions to programs such as unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation. The companies on the list have failed to resolve their fines and fees with NJDOL and the Department of the Treasury.

The initiative was established through bipartisan action (S-4226) in 2020 as part of an effort to combat worker misclassification and exploitation. It gives NJDOL power to protect fair-minded businesses across the state from employers that undercut their workers to gain a competitive edge. Any business whose name appears on The WALL is barred from public contracting with state, county, or local governments until they pay their liabilities in full.

Posting on The WALL is separate from – and may be in addition to – other accountability measures, such as public contractor debarment and business license suspension or revocation. State, county, municipal, and school procurement officers must cross-reference The WALL before awarding public contracts, as they do with the debarment list.

Businesses receive letters warning that their company’s name will be posted to The WALL unless they remedy their outstanding liabilities; they are given 20 days from the date they receive notice to pay in full or challenge their pending placement on The WALL.

For more information click here.

Justice Prevails: Man Sentenced for Assault Crimes at Fairleigh Dickinson University

By
Frank Cahill
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File photo

FLORHAM PARK — A Hudson County man has been sentenced in connection with an April 9 domestic violence incident at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Florham Park Borough, Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll confirmed.

Jayshawn E. Moore, 22, last known address of Jersey City was sentenced on April 12 to an aggregate sentence of 15 years in New Jersey State Prison subject to 85% parole ineligibility under the No Early Release Act.  Moore was also ordered to register under Megan’s Law, parole supervision for life, and to have no contact with the victim, Carroll said.

Moore had previously entered guilty pleas on October 25, 2023, to first-degree kidnapping and first-degree aggravated sexual assault. He had been detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility following his arrest on April 11, 2023.

On April 9, 2023, Moore, who is not affiliated with the university, forced an adult female victim known to him, into a dormitory room on the campus of Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Once inside the room, he threatened the victim verbally, and he assaulted her physically and sexually over several hours. It is alleged that he was armed with a knife.

Moore was arrested on Tuesday, April 11 in Elizabeth and charged with two counts of first-degree kidnapping, four counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree aggravated assault, second-degree burglary, third-degree terroristic threats, third-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon.

Multiple law enforcement agencies contributed to this investigation and arrest, including the Florham Park Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit and Major Crimes Unit.

Seven Years Strong: Celebrating the Impact of Morris County Sheriff’s Hope One

By
Frank Cahill
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Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw and Morris County Sheriff James Gannon

MORRIS COUNTY — Law enforcement officers and community partners from throughout New Jersey joined Morris County Sheriff James Gannon at Saint Elizabeth University in Morristown Friday for the seventh anniversary of Hope One, the sheriff’s renowned outreach program that has been combating the nation’s opioid crisis.

Click here for more photos.

In his opening remarks, Sheriff Gannon presented a disconcerting question to the audience of more than 200 attendees: “Is there anyone in here who doesn’t know someone who has died from addiction? If so, please raise your hand.”

The crowd remained motionless and silent.

Later, Det. Sgt. First Class Brian Kruzell of the New Jersey State Police Drug Monitoring Initiative (DMI) revealed that more than 100,000 people per year die due to overdose, which equates to approximately 300 people per day nationwide. The relatively positive news shared at the event is the rate has been declining in New Jersey.

With 2,564 deaths in 2023 compared to 2,893 deaths in 2022, the state currently averages a little less than six deaths per day, and Kruzell noted it would be worse in New Jersey if not for programs like Hope One.

Hope One is a mobile outreach unit that travels throughout Morris County offering critical support for persons and families struggling with addiction and mental health.

The Morris County Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the Morris County Department of Human Services, the Mental Health Association, and the Center for Addiction Recovery Education & Success (CARES), staffs the unit with a plainclothes sheriff’s officer, a certified peer recovery specialist and a mental health professional. The team also provides Naloxone (Narcan) education, training, and kits free of charge to family members and friends of those suffering from substance use disorder.

Hope One marks its 7th anniversary with over 46,000 community contacts and over 8,900 people trained in the use of lifesaving Narcan. To date, 151 Narcan kits have been used to save a life.

“There is no secret that across America and beyond, this opioid epidemic was happening, and we wanted to make a difference. So, what do we need to do? We need to focus on the at-risk population, and the second and final piece is bringing services to them. That’s it; it’s not complicated,” said Gannon.

Symposium participants celebrated Hope One’s successes while sharing best practices, ideas, and information about how programs to address the opioid epidemic should be tailored to the communities they serve.

Program speakers included Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw and Commissioner Tayfun Selen, Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Dr. Sandy Gibson of The College of New Jersey, Det. Sgt. First Class Brian Kruzell of the N.J. State Police DMI, Ret. Captain Felix Pacheco, III, of NJCARES (Coordinator for Addiction Responses and Enforcement Strategies) and officers from the Hope One and Hope Hub programs. Awards were presented to community support partners from CARES and the Market Street Mission.

The simple model of bringing services to the client has been so effective that the program has been replicated throughout New Jersey. Other Hope One programs have been launched in Atlantic County, Burlington County, Cape May County, Hunterdon County, Monmouth County, Passaic County, and Warren County, as well as the City of Newark.

Through its mobile outreach addiction services, Hope One regularly finds people homeless or on the verge of becoming homeless, or people needing food, medical care, legal advice, and other types of assistance. To address those issues, the Hope Hub program was established in 2021.

Hope Hub is a multidisciplinary panel made up of law enforcement, social services, mental health services, healthcare providers, treatment providers and recovery specialists who support individuals and families struggling in the community. Each week, the Hope Hub panel meets to determine if an individual or family would benefit from various service sectors. Applicable agencies then work together to execute a door knock or intervention.

To date, the Hope Hub program has assisted in more than 500 situations in which individuals or families were at an acutely elevated risk of falling into a crisis. Sheriff’s Officer Chelsea Whiting and Social Case Worker Casey Miller are working with 69 providers to help individuals and families who are struggling in Morris County.

“We have grown used to seeing the Hope One vehicle in our communities, but it was truly a groundbreaking concept and service that is now being adopted across the nation. As public servants, you can’t do any of this without forming partnerships and that is exactly what we have here. Not just the great working relationship among the Sheriff’s Office, the County Commissioner Board, and the Prosecutor’s Office, but the community partnerships that make Hope One a reality,” said Shaw.

Hope One and its members have also been distinguished with various honors and awards. In 2023, Hope One Coordinator Corporal Erica Valvano received the PAARI Leadership Award for her efforts to create and expand non-arrest programs for individuals with substance use disorders.

The Hope One team was also awarded the International Association of Chiefs of Police Michael Shanahan Cooperation in Public and Private Partnership Award in 2019.

To learn more about the Hope One Program, click here.

Operation Take Back: Morris County Steps Up in the Battle Against Drug Abuse

By
Frank Cahill
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File Photo

MORRIS COUNTY — “Operation Take Back” is set to occur at various Morris County locations on Saturday, April 27th. This semi-annual event is part of a nationwide effort led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), where law enforcement agencies collaborate at all levels to facilitate Operation Take Back.

The primary aim of Operation Take Back is to encourage the public to anonymously surrender any unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications for proper disposal. After the event, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and Morris County Sheriff’s Office will gather the collected prescription drugs and dispose of them safely and responsibly.

During the event, satellite collection sites will be operational from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the following Morris County locations:

  • ACME Supermarket, 690 Millbrook Avenue, Randolph
  • Budd Lake Fire Department, 378 Route 46, Budd Lake
  • Flanders Fire Department, 27 Main Street Flanders
  • Shoprite of Greater Morristown, 178 East Hanover Avenue, Cedar Knolls
  • Stop and Shop Supermarket, 245 Littleton Road/US 202, Morris Plains
  • Wegmans, 34 Sylvan Way, Hanover Township

Residents who cannot drop off their medication at these locations can use any other permanent drop box locations nearby, accessible by clicking here.

Dover Man’s DUI Arrest Follows Early Morning Collision on Thompson Avenue

By
Frank Cahill
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Mr. Jeyson Rodriguez-Mancia collided with two parked vehicles in the vicinity of Thompson Avenue.

DOVER — On Friday, April 5, at 1:14 a.m., Mr. Jeyson Rodriguez-Mancia, 26, Dover, was traveling southbound on Thompson Avenue when the right-side passenger front tire malfunctioned causing him to collide with two vehicles, that were legally parked.

Dover Police Officer Anthony Morin arrived at the scene and determined Mr. Rodriguez-Mancia to be driving under the influence of alcohol. His BAC (Blood Alcohol Count) was measured at .22.

His vehicle a 2008 Honda Civic was removed from the scene by Bunky’s Towing.

The first vehicle, Mr. Rodriguez-Mancia, hit was a 2022 Honda Accord and the second vehicle was a 2015 Audi Q7. Both vehicles were drivable. Damage to the vehicles is unknown.

Mr. Rodriguez-Mancia was charged with Operating Under the Influence of Liquor or Drugs (39:4-50), Careless Driving, Likely to endanger person or property (39:4-97), Reckless Driving (39:4-96), Improper Display or Unclear License Plates (39:3-33), Tire Equipment (39:3-73), Delaying Traffic (39:4-56), and Failure to notify DMV of address change (39:3-36).

He was released with a court appearance on Monday, April 15.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Get Ready to Tune In: “Talk Radio” Hits the Stage in Dover!

By
Frank Cahill
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0

DOVER — Dover Little Theatre announced its production of “Talk Radio”. Directed with precision and performed with raw intensity, this gripping play by Eric Bogosian takes you on a rollercoaster ride through the world of provocative radio journalism.

Directed by Dan Whitehead, “Talk Radio” will be performed on April 12, 13, 19, and 20 at 8:00 p.m.. It will also be performed on April 14 at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $22.00 and can be purchased by clicking here. 

“TALK RADIO” is a 90-minute show with no intermission.

Director Dan Whitehead discussed the production, “I think it’s interesting how despite being written in the 80s, it’s still fitting for today. I’ve always had an interest in the medium of radio and podcasting, so it’s exciting to direct a play about a radio show. It’s a challenge to direct because the callers of the radio show are all offstage! They don’t interact directly with Barry, the host. It’s been great seeing the connection the actors can have just by using their voices. Listening is so important.”

From the visionary mind of Eric Bogosian, “Talk Radio” immerses audiences into the chaotic realm of Barry Champlain, a controversial radio host whose wit and unfiltered opinions captivate listeners. Set against the backdrop of a bustling radio station, the play unravels throughout one fateful evening, delving deep into the complexities of human nature.

“Talk Radio” is more than just a play; it’s an exploration of the power of words and the impact of media in an ever-changing world. With its raw authenticity, this production invites the audience to confront the uncomfortable truths that lie beneath the surface of contemporary society.

Don’t miss your chance to see this exciting play at Dover Little Theatre!

“Talk Radio” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com.

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Morris Focus was founded in 2017 and is published in print and online formats. Its mission is to provide timely and accurate news coverage to Morris County residents and promote community engagement and involvement. The newspaper covers various topics, including local government, education, business, and sports. We can be reached by calling (973) 559-6000—a member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.

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