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Clifton Police Department

Clifton Police Officer Joseph Pichnarcik Dies, 45 Clifton Police Officer Joseph Pichnarcik Dies, 45
Clifton Police Officer Joseph Pichnarcik Dies, 45 The Clifton Police Department is mourning the passing of one of its own, Officer Joseph A. Pichnarcik. Pichnarcik died on Wednesday, Nov. 6, following a brave fight against a long-term illness, according to his department and his obituary on the Allwood Funeral Home website.  Officer Pichnarcik, who served the Clifton community with pride and commitment since joining in 2006, was known for his warm spirit, reliability, and the unwavering support he offered his fellow officers. Before his tenure in Clifton, Officer Pichnarcik served with the Paterson Police Department. Pichnarcik…
Daughters Of Pepsi-Loving Truck Driver Killed In Fiery Route 3 Crash Have Special Request Daughters Of Pepsi-Loving Truck Driver Killed In Fiery Route 3 Crash Have Special Request
Daughters Of Pepsi-Loving Truck Driver Killed In Fiery Route 3 Crash Have Special Request Next time you drink a Pepsi, think of Luis "Papo" Santiago. His daughters, in a heartfelt tribute shared to GoFundMe, are asking for just that after the 55-year-old Linden resident was killed in a fiery crash on Route 3 in Clifton on Monday morning, July 22. Santiago's truck clipped an NJ Transit bus carrying 29 passengers in the eastbound lanes then crashed into a barrier near Valley Road and Grove Street, causing the vehicle to erupt in flames, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said. Santiago's body was found after firefight…
Dirt Bicyclist Struck, Killed On Clifton Street Dirt Bicyclist Struck, Killed On Clifton Street
Dirt Bicyclist Struck, Killed On Clifton Street A 24-year-old dirt bicyclist was struck and killed on a Clifton street just below Route 46, authorities confirmed. A 2007 Honda bike driven by the as-yet unidentified rider collided with a Honda CRV at the corner of Lakeview Avenue and East 11th Street shortly before 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, they said. The victim was taken to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said in a joint release. The SUV driver remained at the scene. CHECK BACK FOR MORE DETAILS
NJ Sheriff's Association Cites 'Fortitude, Resoluteness' Of Fallen Passaic Comrade Berdnik NJ Sheriff's Association Cites 'Fortitude, Resoluteness' Of Fallen Passaic Comrade Berdnik
NJ Sheriff's Association Cites 'Fortitude, Resoluteness' Of Fallen Passaic Comrade Berdnik "On behalf of the Sheriffs' Association of New Jersey, President Sheriff Gilbert "Whip" Wilson and its members, we express our sincere condolences for the loss of our dear brother in law enforcement, Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik. "Sheriff Berdnik's untimely passing was a shock to us all. He served as a member of the New Jersey Sheriffs Association for fifteen (13) years, where he worked hard to ensure the safety of the Passaic County residents and that the needs of the Passaic County community were addressed.  "Sheriff Berdnik was a man of great character, always mild-mannere…
Passaic Sheriff Berdnik's Death By Suicide 'Unfathomable Loss' For NJ, Attorney General Says Passaic Sheriff Berdnik's Death By Suicide 'Unfathomable Loss' For NJ, Attorney General Says
Passaic Sheriff Berdnik's Death By Suicide 'Unfathomable Loss' For NJ, Attorney General Says Passaic County Sheriff Richard Berdnik died by his own hand on Tuesday in his hometown Clifton, in what the Garden State's attorney general called "an unfathomable loss for New Jersey." Emergency responders rushed to Toro's Turkish Restaurant on Hazel Street a few minutes after 3:30 p.m. Jan. 23. Berdnik had just taken his life in the men's room, the sudden gunshot through the heart startling staff and patrons alike, sources told Daily Voice. Not even 15 minutes earlier, the popular sheriff had posed for cellphone photos. Then he got a phone call with some very unsettling news, reliable so…
Likely Prison Return Awaits DWI Ex-Con Who Clifton PD Says Had Gun Likely Prison Return Awaits DWI Ex-Con Who Clifton PD Says Had Gun
Likely Prison Return Awaits DWI Ex-Con Who Clifton PD Says Had Gun An ex-con faces a likely return to prison after Clifton police said they caught him with a gun. The new year was four hours old when police got the call of a man with a gun in the area of Cliff Hill Road and Long Hill Drive, Lt. Robert Anderson said. They arrived as an apparent disturbance was ending and people were leaving, he said. Still there, behind the wheel of a Mercedes SUV with the engine running, was city resident William Christmas, 35, the lieutenant said. He'd apparently been drinking, Anderson said. Christmas refused to participate in field sobriety tests and was taken into c…
MOMMY AND CLYDE? Getaway Driver, Son Swipe $100G Worth Of Bling From Jewelry Store: Clifton PD MOMMY AND CLYDE? Getaway Driver, Son Swipe $100G Worth Of Bling From Jewelry Store: Clifton PD
Mommy AND Clyde? Getaway Driver, Son Swipe $100G Worth Of Bling From Jewelry Store: Clifton PD A burglar broke into a Clifton jewelry store, swiped nearly $100,000 worth of bling and planned to flee in a getaway car driven by his 59-year-old mother before police arrived, authorities said. Officers responding to a burglar alarm at Morre Lyons Jewelers in the Richfield Shopping Center around 2:30 a.m. last Nov. 24 saw Iver Vera-Miranda of Clifton emerge from behind the store and then duck back inside, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said on Friday, Jan. 5. Vera-Miranda, 30, had worked a Fuel 4 in Fair Lawn before he and another man were charged with swiping $11,000 from the station's safe…
Route 3 Pedestrian Killed On Christmas Route 3 Pedestrian Killed On Christmas
Route 3 Pedestrian Killed On Christmas Investigators were trying to determine what a 31-year-old Passaic man who was struck and killed on Route 3 on Christmas Day was doing on the highway. Randy Rafael Reyes Duran was struck by a Tesla near Passaic Avenue shortly before 6:30 p.m. Monday, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said in a brief announcement on Tuesday. He was pronounced dead at the scene, they said, adding that the driver remained there. "At this point there's no idea why he was on the highway," one investigator said. "It wasn't suicide or anything like that." ANY…
TENSE STOP: Clifton Police Find Gun, Extended Mag In Passenger's Waistband, 2nd Firearm In Car TENSE STOP: Clifton Police Find Gun, Extended Mag In Passenger's Waistband, 2nd Firearm In Car
Tense Stop: Clifton Police Find Gun, Extended Mag In Passenger's Waistband, 2nd Firearm In Car A passenger who struggled with Clifton police during a tense overnight traffic stop had a semiautomatic handgun with an extended 27-round magazine tucked into his waistband, authorities said. Officers arrested him and two companions while also seizing a second gun with a magazine that held 33 rounds of mixed standard and hollow-point bullets, Clifton Police Lt. Robert Anderson said. Both 9mm Polymer80 handguns had their serial numbers removed, the lieutenant said. Officer Nicholas Garruto stopped the purple 2013 Dodge Charger on Main Avenue just over the city line in Passaic after witnessi…
UPDATE: Clifton Boy, 13, Hit By Car Remains In Coma UPDATE: Clifton Boy, 13, Hit By Car Remains In Coma
Update: Clifton Boy, 13, Hit By Car Remains In Coma A 13-year-old Clifton boy remained in critical condition after being thrown from his bicycle when he was struck by a vehicle in a city intersection. It was nearly 8:30 p.m. when Aqel Khalifeh headed down Fifth Avenue and was struck at the intersection of West 2nd Street near Main Avenue on Saturday, June 24, Clifton Police Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. "The driver of the vehicle stopped immediately to render aid and police and fire department personnel responded a short time later," the lieutenant said. The eighth-grader at Christopher Columbus Middle School was taken to St. Joseph's…
SEE ANYTHING? Swastikas Spray-Painted Throughout Clifton Park SEE ANYTHING? Swastikas Spray-Painted Throughout Clifton Park
SEE Anything? Swastikas Spray-Painted Throughout Clifton Park Authorities turned to the public for help finding whoever was responsible for littering a Clifton park with spray-painted swastikas. Seven of the hateful symbols were found on benches, trees, a portable bathroom and the blacktop at Dunney Park on Cherry Street early Wednesday, June 21, they said. Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Department Chief Thomas Rinaldi didn’t release any further information in confirming the vandalism. “The investigation remains active and ongoing,” their release says. “More information will be released once it becomes available.” Val…
Passaic Ex-Con Hits Criminal Trifecta In Clifton Stop Passaic Ex-Con Hits Criminal Trifecta In Clifton Stop
Passaic Ex-Con Hits Criminal Trifecta In Clifton Stop An ex-con from Passaic ended up charged with a trio of significant offenses in a single traffic stop. Brian Deleon, 24, was driving a stolen 2020 Lexus wagon and carrying a defaced handgun loaded with hollow-point bullets when Clifton police stopped him on Sunday, June 3, Detective Police Lt. Robert Bracken said. Items used to sell drugs were spotted in the vehicle, leading to a search that found Deleon carrying the weapon, the lieutenant said. Deleon remained held Tuesday in the Bergen County Jail, charged with possessing a defaced handgun, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and po…
Patrol Units Damaged As Boy, 15, Tops 100MPH In Clifton Police Pursuit Through Several Towns Patrol Units Damaged As Boy, 15, Tops 100MPH In Clifton Police Pursuit Through Several Towns
Patrol Units Damaged As Boy, 15, Tops 100MPH In Clifton Police Pursuit Through Several Towns A 15-year-old stolen car thief damaged two Clifton police vehicles while failing to elude his pursuers, authorities said. A police chase had passed through Passaic, Nutley, East Rutherford and Secaucus – with speeds exceeding 100 miles an hour -- before heading back to Clifton, where a chain-reaction crash occurred, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. Officer Mohammed Rayyan was the first to spot the 2021 Ford Bronco on southbound Route 21 near Ackerman Avenue shortly after 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 15. The driver of the vehicle, which had been reported stolen out of Woodland Park earlier in t…
Clifton Stolen Car Chase Ends In Newark Crash Clifton Stolen Car Chase Ends In Newark Crash
Clifton Stolen Car Chase Ends In Newark Crash A stolen car pursuit that began in Clifton ended with a crash in Newark and three occupants in the wind, authorities said. Clifton Police Officer Matthew Rugel was in the area of Broad Street and Elmwood Drive when he spotted the 2020 Audi, which had been reported stolen out of Hazlet and connected to subsequent crimes, shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 2. Rugel tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped off through the streets of Clifton and eventually onto eastbound Route 3, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. Witnesses said speeds reached 120 miles an hour as the pursuit continued on…
Stranger Stalks Teen Walking Dog, Shows Lewd Photos, Talks Dirty: Hasbrouck Heights PD Stranger Stalks Teen Walking Dog, Shows Lewd Photos, Talks Dirty: Hasbrouck Heights PD
Stranger Stalks Teen Walking Dog, Shows Lewd Photos, Talks Dirty: Hasbrouck Heights PD A Hasbrouck Heights teen walking her dog was followed by a stranger who got out of his car, showed her pornographic photos and made lewd comments, authorities said. Borough detectives immediately converged on the area and collected video that helped identify him and his car, Lt. John Behr said. Runaldo Yanpiel Miliano-Almonte, 24, of Passaic was later captured and charged with stalking, luring and lewdness, the lieutenant said. The 18-year-old woman went to headquarters and told police that Miliano-Almonte followed her in a white Honda Accord while making suggestive comments and askin…
UPDATE: Driver In Fatal Passaic River Bridge Crash On Route 3 Identified UPDATE: Driver In Fatal Passaic River Bridge Crash On Route 3 Identified
Update: Driver In Fatal Passaic River Bridge Crash On Route 3 Identified A driver who was killed in a chain-reaction crash on Route 3 was identified as a 46-year-old Kearny resident. A BMW X3 had become disabled and was stopped on the westbound Passaic River Bridge in Clifton when it was struck by a Subaru Impreza driven by Karen Garcia shortly before 5 a.m. last Thursday, Dec. 15. Garcia's Impreza was then broadsided by an oncoming Toyota Prius, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said in a joint release on Monday, Dec. 19. Garcia, who was extricated by firefighters, was later pronounced dead at Hackensack Unive…
One Dead In Route 3 Crash, Authorities Confirm One Dead In Route 3 Crash, Authorities Confirm
One Dead In Route 3 Crash, Authorities Confirm A driver who was killed in a chain-reaction crash on Route 3 was identified as a 46-year-old Kearny resident. A BMW X3 had become disabled and was stopped on the westbound Passaic River Bridge in Clifton when it was struck by a Subaru Impreza driven by Karen Garcia shortly before 5 a.m. last Thursday, Dec. 15. Garcia's Impreza was then broadsided by an oncoming Toyota Prius, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said in a joint release on Monday, Dec. 19. Garcia, who was extricated by firefighters, was later pronounced dead at Hackensack Unive…
Sedan With Suspected Bullet Holes Rolls During Clifton Police Pursuit Into Glen Ridge Sedan With Suspected Bullet Holes Rolls During Clifton Police Pursuit Into Glen Ridge
Sedan With Suspected Bullet Holes Rolls During Clifton Police Pursuit Into Glen Ridge A driver who was stopped by Clifton police with bullet holes in his windshield hit the gas and sped off -- nearly hitting two officers -- before crashing in Glen Ridge during the subsequent pursuit, authorities said. Officers stopped the 2017 Mercedes E300 on Allwood Road near Clifton Avenue around 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. They were talking with the driver and passenger when the E300 peeled out, the lieutenant said. The officers pursued the Mercedes through the streets of Clifton, Bloomfield, and, ultimately, into Glen Ridge, where it hit another vehicle, …
'Guardian Angel' Rescues Clifton Mugging Victim, Arrest Made 'Guardian Angel' Rescues Clifton Mugging Victim, Arrest Made
'Guardian Angel' Rescues Clifton Mugging Victim, Arrest Made A 60-year-old robbery victim who was jumped on a Clifton street had a guardian angel, authorities said. The victim was walking along the 200 block of Ackerman Avenue when he was knocked down and stomped on by an assailant around 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 31, Police Lt. Robert Anderson said. The mugger was trying to wrest the victim's cell phone from his hands when a good Samaritan pulled over, got out of his car and shoved him, Anderson said. The robber then ran off. An alert was broadcast and about an hour later Detective Jessenia Montagna spotted the suspect near the corner of Getty and Ma…
WILD CHASE: Masked Carjackers Ram Police Cruiser, Civilian Vehicles On Route 46 WILD CHASE: Masked Carjackers Ram Police Cruiser, Civilian Vehicles On Route 46
Wild Chase: Masked Carjackers Ram Police Cruiser, Civilian Vehicles On Route 46 Three carjackers were captured following a wild chase in which they rammed a Wayne police cruiser and several civilian vehicles on Route 46, authorities said. It began shortly after Montville police issued an alert for two vehicles, one of which had just been taken by thieves in ski masks, shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. A short time later, the masked bandits approached a Porsche at the Starbucks on Route 23 just south of the "spaghetti bowl" intersection in Wayne near Willowbrook Mall, Wayne Detective Capt. Dan Daly said. They abandoned their attempt after discovering it occupied,…
SEEN HIM? Manhunt Continues For Fugitive Accused Of Trying To Run Down Clifton Police Officer SEEN HIM? Manhunt Continues For Fugitive Accused Of Trying To Run Down Clifton Police Officer
Seen HIM? Manhunt Continues For Fugitive Accused Of Trying To Run Down Clifton Police Officer A 42-year-old fugitive from Clifton who’s wanted for hitting a city police officer with his car has eluded a manhunt for nearly a month, said authorities who turned to the public for help finding him. Officers were responding to a report of a possible crime in progress on Valley Road on June 18 when they spotted Alberto J. Maymi-Sepulveda, 42, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said Tuesday. Maymi-Sepulveda slammed the door on an officer who tried to detain him, then hit the gas and struck the officer’s arm with his vehicle, the lieutenant said. Fortunately, the officer was OK, he said. Maymi-S…
Passaic Man Charged In Clifton Stabbing Passaic Man Charged In Clifton Stabbing
Passaic Man Charged In Clifton Stabbing UPDATE: A Passaic resident was charged with attempted murder for stabbing a man two weeks ago in Clifton, authorities said. Paul Ramirez, 42, stabbed the 24-year-old victim near the corner of Ackerman and Randolph avenues shortly before 11:30 p.m. June 26, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said in a joint release. They didn’t offer a possible motive, nor did they say what type of weapon was used -- or whether it had been recovered. Valdes and Rinaldi did say that the victim, who's also from Passaic, was treated at St. Joseph’s University Me…
SUV Crash Downs Pole, Tree In Clifton SUV Crash Downs Pole, Tree In Clifton
SUV Crash Downs Pole, Tree In Clifton A passenger was hospitalized after an SUV toppled a telephone pole in Clifton. The Acura MDX also took down a tree and strung wires across Van Houten Avenue outside Van Houten Village at Mohegan Street around 5 p.m. Sunday, March 13. The victim complained of leg and ankle pain. Clifton police, firefighters and EMS responded.
Pair Nabbed In BP Station Armed Robbery Linked To Multiple Incidents Across North Jersey: PD Pair Nabbed In BP Station Armed Robbery Linked To Multiple Incidents Across North Jersey: PD
Pair Nabbed In BP Station Armed Robbery Linked To Multiple Incidents Across North Jersey: PD A second arrest has been made in an armed robbery of a BP station and police pursuit last month in Secaucus — and police believe both suspects are responsible for a series of similar incidents across North Jersey, authorities announced. Joseph Brown, 24, of Jersey City, acted as the accomplice to 25-year-old Wendell Bradley, of Bayonne, in the gunpoint robbery of the gas station on Paterson Plank Road on Friday, Feb. 4, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller said. Brandley and Brown each pointed a handgun at the gas attendant and robbed him of cash, then fled in a gray Honda Acc…
6 Thieves Targeted Luxury Cars, Led Police Pursuits Across NJ: AG Charges In Indictment 6 Thieves Targeted Luxury Cars, Led Police Pursuits Across NJ: AG Charges In Indictment
6 Thieves Targeted Luxury Cars, Led Police Pursuits Across NJ: AG Charges In Indictment Six members of a luxury car theft ring that targeted dealerships and high-end cars worth hundreds of thousands of dollars are named in an indictment filed by the New Jersey Attorney General's Office.  The defendants from Newark, East Orange and Blackwood arrested in "Operation Dealer No Deal" targeted dealerships in Essex, Hudson, Bergen, and Union and took key fobs to steal the luxury vehicles off the lots, Acting Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck today said. The defendants (listed below) were charged in connection with thefts of 22 vehicles valued at over $787,000 …
FOUND! Missing NJ Student, 19, Safe And Sound, Taken To Hospital For Evaluation FOUND! Missing NJ Student, 19, Safe And Sound, Taken To Hospital For Evaluation
Found! Missing NJ Student, 19, Safe And Sound, Taken To Hospital For Evaluation UPDATE: Morgan Panzer, a 19-year-old Bergen Community College freshman from Nutley whose parents reported her missing on Wednesday, was found Friday evening in Clifton, a family member confirmed. "They found her in the Wendy's by the Clifton Commons," he told Daily Voice around 5:30 p.m. "She's OK. She heading to Clara Maas Medical Center (in Belleville).  "A huge shout out to the Nutley and Clifton police departments." It was a police officer's wife who spotted her, in fact. Morgan hadn't strayed far. Her father, Richard Panzer, had confirmed that Morgan was spotted at least twice on T…
FOUND! Missing NJ Student, 19, Safe And Sound FOUND! Missing NJ Student, 19, Safe And Sound
Found! Missing NJ Student, 19, Safe And Sound FOUND!! Morgan Panzer, a 19-year-old Bergen Community College freshman from Nutley whose parents reported her missing on Wednesday, was found Friday evening in Clifton, a family member confirmed. "They found her in the Wendy's by the Clifton Commons," he told Daily Voice around 5:30 p.m. "She's OK. She heading to Clara Maas Medical Center (in Belleville). "A huge shout out to the Nutley and Clifton police departments." It was a police officer's wife who spotted her, in fact. Morgan hadn't strayed far. Her father, Richard Panzer, had confirmed that Morgan was spotted at least twice o…
Armed, Drunk Ex-Con Arrested After Being Thrown From Motorcycle, Clifton PD Says Armed, Drunk Ex-Con Arrested After Being Thrown From Motorcycle, Clifton PD Says
Armed, Drunk Ex-Con Arrested After Being Thrown From Motorcycle, Clifton PD Says An ex-con with a long criminal history was drunk and carrying a gun and illegal drugs when he was ejected from his motorcycle in Clifton, authorities said. A city police officer was on patrol when he saw Delshon Coleman, 36, of Passaic drive erratically before being thrown from his 2008 Suzuki after coming to an abrupt stop on Paulison Avenue near Madison Avenue shortly after 9 p.m., Sgt. Robert Anderson said. Officers quickly attended to an intoxicated and unlicensed Coleman, who refused further aid when a Clifton Fire Department ambulance crew arrived, Anderson said. Coleman refused alco…
Two Officers, One Civilian Injured In Multi-Vehicle Clifton Crash Two Officers, One Civilian Injured In Multi-Vehicle Clifton Crash
Two Officers, One Civilian Injured In Multi-Vehicle Clifton Crash UPDATE: Two officers and a civilian were injured in a crash involving two Clifton police vehicles, one of which overturned, Monday night, responders said. Police were headed to a report of a carjacked vehicle from which shots had been fired in Paterson a short time earlier when the crash occurred at the intersection of Main and Clifton avenues around 9:30 p.m., Detective Lt. Robert Bracken. The two officers and civilian were all taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, where they were treated before being released, Bracken said. The carjacked vehicle -- a 2004 Acura -- wasn't found,…
Clifton Police SUV Rolls In Multi-Vehicle Crash Clifton Police SUV Rolls In Multi-Vehicle Crash
Clifton Police SUV Rolls In Multi-Vehicle Crash Two officers and a civilian were injured in a crash involving two Clifton police vehicles, one of which overturned, Monday night, responders said. Police were headed to a report of a carjacked vehicle from which shots had been fired in Paterson a short time earlier when the crash occurred at the intersection of Main and Clifton avenues around 9:30 p.m., Detective Lt. Robert Bracken. The two officers and civilian were all taken to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, where they were treated before being released, Bracken said. The carjacked vehicle -- a 2004 Acura -- wasn't found, he said.…
Ski-Masked Gunmen Rob Route 3 Gas Station Ski-Masked Gunmen Rob Route 3 Gas Station
Ski-Masked Gunmen Rob Route 3 Gas Station Armed robbers in ski masks took a few hundred dollars in cash and cigarettes at gunpoint from a Route 3 service station in Clifton, authorities confirmed. Two armed with handguns held a pair of employees at bay at the Exxon station on the highway's westbound side between Main and Passaic avenues shortly before 11:30 p.m. Sunday, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. They fled on foot with the proceeds, possibly with accomplices, Bracken said. No injuries were reported. Anyone who might have witnessed the robbery or has information that could help identify and/or find those responsible is ask…