Union City men stopped in swerving car in Carlstadt had quarter-pound of pot, police say

Officer Jason Colombo was on patrol in the area of Route 120 and 16th Street when he saw the white Chrysler suddenly cut across two lanes of traffic to the shoulder at 12:40 a.m. Thursday, Detective John Cleary told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.

The driver, 26-year-old Seydel Valdes-Valdes (above, right), didn’t signal, Cleary said.

He had a suspended driver’s license, as well, he said.

While speaking with Valdes-Valdez and his passenger, Shawn Corraliza, 24 (above, left), the officer smelled burnt and raw marijuana coming from inside the car.

Asking about it, Colombo was told there was a small amount in the vehicle, the detective said. Given permission to search the car, he found a partially smoked joint in the ash tray and a vacuum-sealed bag of marijuana that neither man claimed ownership of, Cleary said.

Both men were charged with marijuana possession with the intent to distribute the drug, among other offenses.

Valdes-Valdez also received summonses for making an unsafe lane change, failing to signal, not having a licence and having drugs in a motor vehicle.

Carraliza posted $7,500 bail at headquarters and was released pending a court hearing. Valdes-Valdez posted the same amount hours later after being processed at the Bergen County Jail.

MUGSHOTS: Courtesy CARLSTADT PD

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