Fanwood Resident Charged with Resisting Arrest, and Borough Police Make Four Arrests in One Day

One night before the Fourth of July, Fanwood police arrested a resident for resisting arrest, obstructing a police investigation and lighting fireworks within borough limits.

At 9:49 p.m., police received a complaint that an individual was igniting fireworks in the 200-block of Westfield Road, Fanwood detective Eugene Chin said in a phone interview. When officers arrived, they observed Emilio Divito, 31, setting off the fireworks in his backyard.

When the officers confronted Divito, Chin said, "he obstructed, and when officers tried to arrest him, he resisted." Chin said that the report did not explicitly describe how Divito obstructed the investigation or resisted arrest. But he explained that obstruction of an investigation typically means that a suspect tried to hide or deny a crime, and resisting arrest generally means that the suspect tried to prevent officers from handcuffing him or her.

Divito was transported to police headquarters, and released on summonses pending a court date.

Saturday, June 19:

• Police arrested Richard Santiago, of North Plainfield, for an outstanding $300 warrant out of Rahway. At 9:26 a.m., officers stopped Santiago for a motor vehicle violation at King Street and Terrill Road and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Tuesday, June 22:

• Police are searching for a man wanted for shoplifting from a South Avenue business Tuesday. Between 12:25 and 12:35 p.m., an individual carrying several items left the store without paying, police said. He is described as a black male, in his thirties, wearing a white t-shirt, and a red and orange rag on his head. Officers checked the area, but were unable to locate him.

Wednesday, June 23:

• Police arrested Tyshawn Clanton, 34, of Philadelphia, for an outstanding $89 warrant out of Milltown. At 9:41 a.m., officers stopped Clanton for a motor vehicle violation at Midway Avenue and North Avenue and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released.
• Police arrested Kathleen Williams, 27, of Rahway, for an outstanding Scotch Plains warrant. Shortly before 2:30 p.m., officers pulled behind Williams' car and, upon checking her car's license plate, discovered the warrant. The officers performed a motor vehicle stop at Terrill Road and East Second Street and arrested Williams. She was transported to police headquarters, where she was processed and released.
• Police arrested Armando Derrico, 27, of Elizabeth, for an outstanding $450 warrant out of Rahway. At 3:24 p.m., officers stopped Derrico at Midway Avenue and Russell Road and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released. 
• Police arrested Michael Petosa, 48, of Hazlet, for an outstanding $750 warrant out of Tinton Falls. At 3:57 p.m., police said, Petosa entered Fanwood's police headquarters to post bail for another individual who had just been arrested. Upon checking Petosa's credentials, police discovered the warrant. He was processed and released after posting bail.

Thursday, June 24:

• Police arrested Tomas Balderas, 35, of Somerset, for driving under the influence. At 2:45 a.m., officers stopped Balderas at Watson Road and North Martine Avenue. While talking with him, police said, officers smelled alcohol on his breath. Officers then administered a field sobriety test, which Balderas failed. Police arrested and transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released to a responsible party.

Friday, June 25:

• Police arrested Lawrence Thomas, 55, of Plainfield, for an outstanding $1,500 warrant out of East Orange. At 9:03 a.m., officers stopped Thomas at South Avenue and Terrill Road for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, but because he was unable to post bail, he was picked-up by East Orange police.
• Police arrested Mustafa Harris, 31, of Piscataway, for an outstanding Piscataway warrant. At 2:44 p.m., officers stopped Harris at South Avenue and Third Street and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Monday, June 28:

• Police arrested Ozzie Leath, 76, of Hillside, for an outstanding $1,900 Hillside warrant. At 9 a.m., officers stopped Leath for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released.
• Police arrested John Jordan III, 29, of Trenton, for two outstanding warrants totaling $222. At 3:43 p.m., officers stopped Jordan at Terrill Road and East Third Street and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released.
• A resident of the 100-block of North Avenue reported that an unknown suspect or suspects stole a GPS unit from his car. The car was unlocked and parked in the victim's driveway, police said. The theft occurred sometime between 5 p.m. June 27 and 5:30 a.m. June 28. The unit was valued at about $150. Police remind residents to lock the doors of their cars, even if they are parked in the driveway.

Wednesday, June 30:

• Police arrested Michael Warren, 29, of Irvington, for an outstanding $350 warrant out of Newark. At 8:29 a.m., officers stopped Warren at Martine Avenue and Watson Road for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Thursday, July 1:

• At 11:52 a.m., officers responded to LaGrande Park for a report of graffiti on a park bench. An unknown suspect or suspects had drawn profanity on the bench in black magic marker. Police notified the Department of Public Works to remove the graffiti, and are still investigating.
• An officer on routine patrol Thursday afternoon recognized an individual that was wanted for an outstanding $300 warrant out of Scotch Plains. At 4:49 p.m., the officer stopped Vincent Novello, 41, of Fanwood, and confirmed the warrant. Novello was arrested, transported to police headquarters, and picked-up by the Scotch Plains police after failing to post bail.
• A resident of the 200-block of Forest Road reported that between 8 a.m. on June 26 and 7:21 p.m. on July 1, two bicycles went missing from her property. The bikes were a boys black, 20-inch BMX Trek with blue and white striping, and a girls purple, 24-inch Raleigh. The total value of the bikes was $500.

Friday, July 2:

• Police arrested Lakisha Franklin, 33, of Elizabeth, for an active $100 Elizabeth warrant. At 9:35 a.m., police stopped Franklin at South Avenue and Locust Avenue and discovered the warrant. Police transported her to headquarters, where she was processed and released.
• Police arrested John Martins, 25, of Linden, for an outstanding $500 warrant out of Clinton Township. At 2:18 p.m., police stopped Martins at South Avenue and Beech Avenue and discovered the warrant. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released.
• Police arrested Lakeesha Urro, 28, of Plainfield, for an outstanding $89 warrant out of Scotch Plains. Shortly after 5:15 p.m., officers pulled behind Urro's car and, upon checking her car's license plate, discovered the warrant. The officers performed a motor vehicle stop in the 200-block of LaGrande Avenue and arrested Urro. They transported her to police headquarters, where she was processed and released.

Saturday, July 3:

• Police arrested Nakeema Briley, 20, of Plainfield, for an outstanding $265 warrant out of Watchung. At 11:11 a.m., officers stopped Briley for a motor vehicle violation and discovered the warrant. Police transported her to headquarters, where she was processed and released.
• At 2:40 p.m., Sherene Edwards, 35, of Union, came into Fanwood's police headquarters to obtain a tow release for a car, which had been impounded by the borough. Upon checking Edwards' credentials, police discovered an outstanding $300 warrant out of Irvington. She was arrested, processed and released after posting bail.
• Police arrested Anthony May, 50, of Plainfield, for an outstanding $145 warrant out of Piscataway. Shortly after 6:00 p.m., officers pulled behind May's car and, upon checking his car's license plate, discovered the warrant. The officers performed a motor vehicle stop in the 200-block of South Avenue and arrested May. They transported him to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Sunday, July 4:

• Police arrested Chamir Shivers, 26, of Plainfield, for four outstanding warrants: $1,000 out of Fanwood, $600 out of South Plainfield, $239 out of Piscataway, and $89 out of Berkely Heights. Together, the warrants totaled $1,928. At 12:19 p.m., officers stopped Shivers at Terrill Road and South Avenue and discovered the warrants. Police transported him to headquarters, where he was processed and released.
• Police arrested Craig Burrows, 39, of Ephrata, Pa., for an active $500 warrant out of Jefferson Township. At 4:20 p.m., officers stopped Burrows at Midway Avenue and Farley Avenue and discovered the warrant. They transported him to police headquarters, where he was processed and released.

Tuesday, July 6:

• A resident of the 100-block of Hunter Avenue reported the theft of solar-powered lights that lined his driveway. The resident last noticed them at 5 p.m., police said, and when he came back outside at 9 p.m., discovered them missing. The lights were valued at about $10.