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Detectives Skylar Cauceglia and Vincent Ricciardelli first spotted a 2014 Toyota in the area of the Hamburg Turnpike Quick Chek before watching it go to the Circle K store and then Trader Joe’s, Detective Capt. Laurence Martin said.
Each time, 32-year-old Paul C. Drake Jr. got out, went into the store, wandered around and left, he said.
Drake, of Sussex, “appeared to be staggering and had fresh injection marks visible on his arm,” then “loudly announced” to the detectives that he’d just been caught and released on heroin possession charges elsewhere, Martin said.
A quick computer check found outstanding warrants from Sparta and Dover, the captain said.
Detectives searched him and found Drake carrying the crack, along with several used bags of heroin stamped #730, he said.
Backup Sgt. Dan Dubois and Officer Steve Martell arrived, at which point Drake “began screaming and yelling attempting to avoid arrest by drawing a crowd,” Martin said.
The officers calmed him down, took him into custody and released the other occupants of the Toyota without charges, he said.
Drake was sent to the Passaic County Jail on the two warrants, as well as on charges of drug possession and obstruction, among other counts.
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