A Few Clouds 67°
Police & Fire
Three Chases, Hours-Long Search Turns Into Clifton Car Burglary Arrest Three Chases, Hours-Long Search Turns Into Clifton Car Burglary Arrest
Three Chases, Hours-Long Search Turns Into Clifton Car Burglary Arrest Persistence paid off for Clifton police who caught an overnight car burglar, authorities said. Two thieves took off through backyards when they spotted officers responding to a burglary call near the corner of Leopold Terrace and West Fourth Street around 1:30 a.m. Monday, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. At least five vehicles had been broken into and ransacked, he said. Two hours later, a caller directed police to Parkway, where a suspicious man was seen emerging from the woods. The suspect ran off again, Bracken said. Around 6 a.m. -- four and a half hours after the initial cal…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SEEN HIM? Endangered Newark Man Last Spotted Leaving Clifton Clinic More Than Week Ago SEEN HIM? Endangered Newark Man Last Spotted Leaving Clifton Clinic More Than Week Ago
Seen HIM? Endangered Newark Man Last Spotted Leaving Clifton Clinic More Than Week Ago He has a hitch in his step and is missing the tip of his left pinkie. Police from Clifton to Newark are hoping someone sees or knows where to find him. Michael Davis, 57, of Newark went missing after leaving a Clifton health services program nearly a week and a half ago, they said. “We have exhausted all efforts and are relying on the public's assistance in locating Mr. Davis,” Clifton Police Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said early Wednesday. Davis wasn’t on the shuttle bus that was supposed to take him back to his Ridge Street home after leaving Adult Family Health Services on Orchard Str…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Authorities: Boy, 16, Was Driving SUV That Killed Motorcyclist In Clifton Authorities: Boy, 16, Was Driving SUV That Killed Motorcyclist In Clifton
Authorities: Boy, 16, Was Driving SUV That Killed Motorcyclist In Clifton An SUV that struck and killed a 25-year-old motorcyclist in Clifton Friday night was driven by a 16-year-old boy, said authorities who took the teen into custody. The boy was driving a 2013 Hyundai Tuscon that slammed into the 2006 Suzuki at the intersection of Paulison and Union avenues around 9 p.m. Friday, ejecting Nadeem Asfour of Paterson, authorities said. Asfour was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, they said. The juvenile, who wasn’t injured, remained held in the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center in Newark after being served with a delinquency complai…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Man Accused Of Shooting David Ortiz Was Wanted In Clifton Street Robberies Man Accused Of Shooting David Ortiz Was Wanted In Clifton Street Robberies
Man Accused Of Shooting David Ortiz Was Wanted In Clifton Street Robberies The man accused of shooting baseball legend David “Big Papi” Ortiz has been wanted for a pair of street robberies in Clifton last year, Daily Voice has learned. Rolfi Ferreira Cruz, 25, of Reading, PA, “admitted that he was the person who fired at former baseball player David Ortiz,” the National Police in the Dominican Republic said in a release. “The investigators indicated that the weapon used was a pistol mark HI-POWER” that was recovered after another man hid it, the National Police said. They also said that Cruz – known as “Sandy” – was among a group of seven men offered $7,800 to s…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Accused Shooter Of Clifton Man Was Actually Caught Soon After, Authorities Reveal Accused Shooter Of Clifton Man Was Actually Caught Soon After, Authorities Reveal
Accused Shooter Of Clifton Man Was Actually Caught Soon After, Authorities Reveal An 18-year-old Clifton man who was shot in the leg on Wednesday was a robbery victim, said authorities who revealed on Friday that they made an arrest the same day. Michael Rodriguez, 21, of Paterson shot the victim in the area of 44 Macdonald Street in Clifton just after 7 p.m. Wednesday, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Mark P. Centurione said in a brief statement issued early Friday afternoon. Rodriguez is charged with attempted murder, armed robbery, burglary, aggravated assault and weapons offenses, the statement says. He remained held in the Passai…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Motorcyclist Remains Critical After Route 46 Crash In Clifton Motorcyclist Remains Critical After Route 46 Crash In Clifton
Motorcyclist Remains Critical After Route 46 Crash In Clifton A Totowa motorcyclist remained in critical condition Monday after crashing on Route 46 in Clifton the day before, authorities said. James Kopec, 37, lost control and was thrown from the 2015 Honda VT7 on the eastbound highway by Fette Ford just after 12:30 p.m. Sunday, authorities said. He was taken to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Mark Centurione said in a joint announcement. No other vehicles were involved, they said. Valdes asked that anyone who may have witnessed the crash contact her office’s tip…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Wild Chase Across Clifton Rooftops: Passaic Sheriff's Officers Nab Stolen Car Thief After Crash Wild Chase Across Clifton Rooftops: Passaic Sheriff's Officers Nab Stolen Car Thief After Crash
Wild Chase Across Clifton Rooftops: Passaic Sheriff's Officers Nab Stolen Car Thief After Crash A wild chase along Clifton rooftops ended when a 17-year-old repeat offender who crashed a stolen Jeep was nabbed by Passaic County sheriff’s officers. Undercover narcotics detectives were headed east on Route 46 in Little Falls just after 2 p.m. Wednesday when they spotted a black Jeep reported stolen from a nearby Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik said. It was being followed by a Mercedes Benz that was reported stolen out of Little Falls the day before, authorities said. A sheriff's detective pulled up next to the Jeep and spotted the driver with a hood p…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SEE ANYTHING? Clifton Gas Thief Closes Window On Attendant's Arm, Drags Him 30 Feet SEE ANYTHING? Clifton Gas Thief Closes Window On Attendant's Arm, Drags Him 30 Feet
SEE Anything? Clifton Gas Thief Closes Window On Attendant's Arm, Drags Him 30 Feet A Clifton service station attendant was dragged 30 feet by a woman who deliberately closed the window on his arm and sped off after getting $20 worth of gas, authorities said. Police were hoping someone saw something or has information that can help catch her. The dilapidated vehicle – possibly a Nissan Sentra with Pennsylvania licenses plates -- pulled into the Piaget Avenue (Route 46) Gulf station at the intersection of Seventh Street around 9:30 p.m. Monday, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. “When the attendant reached into the driver's window to accept payment, the driver closed the wi…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Woman With Wig Disguise Drags Clifton Officer, Crashes After High-Speed Multi-County Chase Woman With Wig Disguise Drags Clifton Officer, Crashes After High-Speed Multi-County Chase
Woman With Wig Disguise Drags Clifton Officer, Crashes After High-Speed Multi-County Chase A Clifton police officer escaped serious injury when he was dragged by a car driven by a fleeing woman involved in a chase that ended with a head-on collision in Kearny – and included a police-cruiser crash on the New Jersey Turnpike. It began when two men and two women pulled a dine-and-dash at the Applebee’s restaurant on Route 3 Wednesday night, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. Two of the women were wearing wigs at the time, Bracken said. Employees grabbed one of the men as the crew ran from the restaurant. The other three fled, the lieutenant said. Soon after, police spotted a Toyot…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Clifton Patrol Officer May Have Cracked Area Car Burglary Spree Clifton Patrol Officer May Have Cracked Area Car Burglary Spree
Clifton Patrol Officer May Have Cracked Area Car Burglary Spree Clifton police believe they caught a man overnight who's responsible for a recent string of vehicle burglaries. Samuel Padilla, 42, of Paterson was carrying burglary tools, as well as stolen earbuds, cellphones, LED lights, sunglasses and jewelry when Officer Michael Warnet stopped him on Warren Street around 12:30 a.m. Thursday, authorities said. He also was carrying several knives, crack pipes and a hypodermic needle, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. Padilla has been suspicious, given the 15 or so car break-ins that have occurred within the area the past few weeks, Bracken said. In ad…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SEE ANYTHING? Shots Fired From One Car At Another On Route 46 In Clifton, Witnesses Sought SEE ANYTHING? Shots Fired From One Car At Another On Route 46 In Clifton, Witnesses Sought
SEE Anything? Shots Fired From One Car At Another On Route 46 In Clifton, Witnesses Sought Several shots were fired from one car at another on Route 46 in Clifton, said authorities who sought the public’s help Wednesday identifying the vehicle. The shooter unloaded sometime between noon and 2 p.m. Monday in the westbound stretch between Routes 20 and 21, authorities said. No injuries were reported, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Mark Centurione said in a joint release. They asked that anyone who saw something or has information that could help investigators use the prosecutor’s tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org or call …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Authorities: Homeless Man, 24, Commits Suicide At Route 3 Gas Station In Clifton Authorities: Homeless Man, 24, Commits Suicide At Route 3 Gas Station In Clifton
Authorities: Homeless Man, 24, Commits Suicide At Route 3 Gas Station In Clifton UPDATE: A 24-year-old homeless man who'd been sleeping in his car shot himself dead at a gas station on Route 3 in Clifton late Saturday morning, authorities said. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound to the head, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Mark Centurione said in a joint statement. Police were called to the BP station on the westbound side of the highway after the man's body was found in his Nissan Maxima shortly before 11 a.m., they said. "The initial investigation indicates that the wound was self-…

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by Jerry DeMarco