Crash leads Wood-Ridge police to assault rifle, guns, ammo, pot

EXCLUSIVE: Wood-Ridge police said they found a loaded handgun, an assault rifle and two other firearms, as well as 400 rounds of ammunition and a small amount of marijuana, after a Pennsylvania man who was living out of his Jeep was rear-ended yesterday.

Photo Credit: *Courtesy of WOOD-RIDGE PD*

Jerry DeMarco

11/07/2013 5:37 p.m.

Detective Sgt. William Wolfsohn and Detective Joseph Biamonte responded to the Moonachie Avenue overpass after yesterday morning’s crash.

The rear-ended Jeep Cherokee driven by Michael Maletta, 45, was inoperable and had to be towed, Detective Joseph Rutigliano Jr. said.

Wood-Ridge police

Maletta, of Stroudsburg, PA, “requested an inventory of his belongings before the tow truck took it away,” the detective told CLIFFVIEW PILOT. “He then signed a consent-to-search form so the officers could take inventory.

“That’s when they discovered the guns.”

Maletta didn’t have a firearms ID card despite carrying a loaded .357 Magnum revolver, M-15 assault rifle, a shotgun and a .22-caliber rifle, Rutigliano said.

He was being held on $150,000 bail on a variety of weapons and drug charges, including having an assault firearm.

IMAGES: Courtesy of WOOD-RIDGE PD

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