School mini-van driver with autistic child arrested on warrant in Ridgewood traffic stop

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: An unlicensed school mini-van driver transporting an autistic child to a Ridgewood school was arrested on a warrant this morning after a village officer pulled him over for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

Photo Credit: *CLIFFVIEW PILOT Correspondent Boyd A. Loving*

Jerry DeMarco

09/22/2014 3:34 p.m.

Hansel De Lo Santos, 25, Clifton was directed to drive the boy the block and a half from the 9:30 a.m. stop on East Ridgewood Avenue near Chestnut Street to the Mt. Carmel School, where police arrested him in the parking lot.

A licensed aide who also was in the unmarked mini-van continued the route.

De Lo Santos was wanted on a violation of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Labor Assistance Program (SLAP), which allows low-level offenders to avoid jail through community service, said Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward, who assisted the arrest by Officer Rosario Vaccarella.

Village police were holding De Lo Santos for Passaic County Sheriff’s officers.

STORY / PHOTOS: CLIFFVIEW PILOT Correspondent Boyd A. Loving

Click here to follow Daily Voice Ridgewood and receive free news updates.