SPARTA POLICE

April 25 Ptl, David Pridham was on routine patrol on Edison Road when he observed a gray Honda parked near the Thomas Edison monument. As Ptl. Pridham approached the vehicle, the odor of burned marijuana was detected. The driver of the vehicle, Carl Hagan, 18, of Ogdensburg was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, possession of CDS (ecstasy) and underage possession of alcohol He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for possession of CDS in a motor vehicle and improper display of license plates. He was released pending a required court appearance. April 26 Ptl. Robert Fraser and Ptl, Arlene Lippencott were dispatched to the area of the Sparta Lanes for a report of a possible drunk driver operating a Jeep Cherokee, The vehicle described was observed on Center Street. The driver of the vehicle threw the remainder of a cigarette out of the window. After stopping the vehicle on Main Street, the driver George Kasko, 39, of Ogdensburg was charged with DWI He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for careless driving and throwing debris from a motor vehicle. He was released pending a required court appearance. May 2 Sparta patrols responded to the area of State Highway Route 15 near White Lake Road for a reported motor vehicle accident Further investigation resulted in the arrest of the driver of one of the vehicles, James McDonald, 41, of Branchville. He was charged with DWI, reckless driving and following too close. He was released pending a mandatory court date in Sparta Municipal Court. May 5 Ptl, Frank Schomp observed a tan Jeep Cherokee proceed through a red light and the intersection of Woodport Road and Stanhope Road. After stopping the vehicle, the driver Linda Marsillo, 18, of Ogdensburg was charged with DWI. She was also issued summonses for refusing to submit to a breath test, failure to observe a traffic signal, speeding, careless driving and failure to exhibit required documents, She was released pending a required court appearance. May 7 Patrolmen Joseph Antonello and Richard Smith were traveling north on Stanhope Road when they observed a vehicle heading south at an extremely high rate of speed. The speed limit is posted as 45 MPH on that stretch of road, The vehicle (later identified as a yellow Chevrolet Corvette) was locked on radar at 82 MPH. As the two patrol vehicles turned around they lost sight of the vehicle as it continued on Stanhope Road. The Byram Police Department was notified, The two Sparta Patrols continued on Stanhope Road and came upon the vehicle, which was now involved in an accident The vehicle had left the travel portion of the roadway and struck a parked vehicle in the driveway of 525 Stanhope Road (Byram Township). A passenger in the vehicle, Nicholas Getto, 20, of Stanhope was hanging out of the passenger side window. He sustained injuries to his back, neck and left hand. The driver, Keith Thompson, age 20, of Stanhope NJ sustained cuts to his head, face and arms, Both men were transported to Newton Hospital for treatment. Mr. Getto was later transported to Morristown Hospital for treatment, Thompson was treated and released, He was charged with eluding a police officer. He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for speeding, reckless driving, unsafe tires and driving an uninsured vehicle. Byram Police issued Thompson the following charges: assault by auto, criminal mischief, defacing a traffic sign, reckless driving, failure to keep right, unsafe tires and driving an uninsured vehicle. Thompson was lodged in the Sussex County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. May 8 Patrolmen Adam Carbery and Brian Hassloch were dispatched to Route 15 for a report of a vehicle traveling north in the southbound lane, At the 12-mile marked patrols stopped a green Ford Escort. The driver Rata Johnston, age 24, of Flanders was arrested for DWI She was also issued motor vehicle summonses for reckless driving and driving the wrong direction on a marked highway. She was later released pending a required court appearance.