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Maywood Police Officer Matthew Parodi stopped 58-year-old Olawale Agoro in Maywood last July 31 and issused him five summonses — including for driving an uninsured vehicle while on the suspended list.
At his Municipal Court appearance, Agoro told the judge that he wasn’t driving because he’s legally blind and that his twin brother was using his name, Maywood Police Chief David Pegg told CLIFFVIEW PILOT this morning. The case was temporarily suspended.
Parodi, after noting that Agoro walked around the courtroom and read paperwork without any trouble, watched him leave court and approach several people in the parking lot, Pegg said.
One of them drove Agoro’s car out of the parking lot, after which Parodi “watched him get into the driver’s seat and drive away,” the chief said.
So Parodi followed Agoro and pulled him over in Rochelle Park for equipment violations.
“At first he told the officer he couldn’t drive because he was blind,” Pegg said, “but he later recanted.”
Rochelle Park police impounded the vehicle and issued him two more summonses.
Agoro later went to Rochelle Park Municipal Court and got a postponement of his court date there, Police Chief Robert Flannelly told CLIFFVIEW PILOT this morning.
After not showing up on the new date, Agoro returned twice, each time claiming to be his twin brother, Tony, Flannelly said.
“Agoro pleaded with court clerks in an attempt to acquire adjournments so that his twin brother could return from Nigeria, where he was mouring the death of their father,” the chief said.
After getting two more postponements, Agoro skipped court on Wednesday. An arrest warrant was issued.
Agoro showed up at Municipal Court again yesterday, claiming to be the non-existent brother, Flannelly said.
A court clerk — having been tipped off by Parodi — quickly summoned police.
Detective James DePreta and Patrol Officer Ken Stapleton questioned Agoro, who was unable to produce any form of identification, the chief said.
They then got a state Motor Vehicle Commision photo that showed an identical birthmark near his lip to one Agoro has, he said.
After initially resisting arrest, Agoro was taken into custody, Flannelly said.
A fingerprint scan further confirmed that “Tony Agoro” doesn’t exist, he said.
Agoro remained held on $20,000 bail in the Bergen County Jail this morning, charged with hindering, resisting and false swearing.
“This is just another example of the extremes people will go to escape justice,” Flannelly said.
MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY SHERIFF
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