Wrong turn leads to Saddle Brook unlicensed driver, warrants

YOU READ IT HERE FIRST: An illegal turn out of the Saddle Brook mall led to a rich stop for a borough police officer: The driver was unlicensed, and both she and one of her passengers were wanted on outstanding warrants.

Jerry DeMarco

02/20/2013 8:09 p.m.

Officer Douglas Habermann was on patrol yesterday afternoon when he stopped the 2010 Nissan on Route 46 West in Elmwood Park.

Haberman was talking to the driver when he spotted a tin box that turned out to contain nine Xanax pills, which none of the three occupants had a prescription for, Saddle Brook Deputy Chief Robert White said.

A quick computer check turned up warrants for the driver, 24-year-old nursing student Jyoti Kumra of Passaic — out of Clifton — and for one of her passengers, 21-year-old Tom Czarkowski of Clifton, an employee with New York Mutual — out of Paterson.

All three were arrested and charged with illegal drug possession.

Kumra was also issued summonses for improper turning and driving without a license. She was turned over to Clifton police on the warrant, White said.

Czarkowski (PHOTO: MIDDLE) was turned over to Paterson authorities.

The second passenger, Rafael Mora-Reynoso, 22, of Clifton (PHOTO: RIGHT), was released pending a Municipal Court hearing on possession of drug paraphernalia.

All are scheduled for March 6 Municipal Court hearings in Saddle Brook.

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