Sparta Police Department

The Sparta Township Police Department this week has concluded the investigations into three incidents which occurred in the month of August. Aug. 18 At 9:49 p.m., Sparta Police were dispatched to Route 15 in the Area of the intersection of Wilson Drive for a report of a person lying in the street. Subsequent investigation revealed that 43-year-old Newton resident Lori Wright for unknown reasons ran onto the highway entering from the southbound side. She ran into the northbound lane where she was struck by a Lexus operated by 72-year-old Arthur Blitz of New York. Wright, who was highly intoxicated at the time, was critically injured with severe head trauma. She was transported to Morristown Memorial Hospital by the Sparta First Aid. She was treated and released several weeks later. The investigation was conducted by Officers Brian Hassloch and C.J. Grauerholz both Certified Traffic Accident Reconstructionisist. Wright was charged with a disorderly persons offense alleging the obstruction of a highway and a traffic summons for jaywalking. Blitz’s vehicle had to be towed from the scene. He was not injured in the crash and he was not charged. Aug. 22 A Sparta man was arrested after he attempted to elude a Sparta Police Officer that was attempting to stop him for speeding. At 1:39 p.m., Officer David Pridham was on routine patrol traveling east in the 400 block of Glen Road, when a Corvette passed him traveling west at a high rate of speed. The officer locked the Corvette’s speed on radar at 73 mph in a 40 mph zone. When the officer turned around to stop the Corvette, the vehicle quickly accelerated and attempted to elude the officer. According to eye witnesses, the operator, 18-year-old Kyle Stone, turned left onto Angelo Drive and then abandoned the vehicle at the end of Haywards Road. Stone was found walking away from the vehicle further down the road. He was taken into custody and transported to Police Headquarters for processing. He was later charged with; Eluding a Police Officer (Indictable Crime of the Third Degree), Reckless Driving and Speeding. Stone was later released on his own recognizance. Det. Sgt. John Schanstra assisted with the investigation. Aug. 27 The investigation into a serious early morning traffic accident that injured four people, one critically, has concluded with numerous charges being filed against a Hopatcong man. At 4 a.m., Officer Brian Hassloch was on routine patrol traveling Route 15 South when he observed a Nissan traveling north at a high rate of speed. The officer locked the vehicle’s speed in initially at 80 mph in a 55 mph but alleges the vehicle increased its speed in excess of more than a 100 mph. The officer quickly lost sight of the vehicle. The car, operated by 19-year-old Brian Tobin, continued north were he subsequently lost control of his vehicle crossing the double yellow lines at the 14 mile marker and struck a BMW traveling south head-on. Tobin was pinned in his vehicle suffering multiple fractures to his leg and hip areas as well as blunt trauma to his chest. He was extricated from the vehicle by the Sparta Township Fire Department and then transported to Morristown Hospital by the Sparta First Aid Squad in serious condition. He remained hospitalized for more than a week before being released. The operator of the BMW, 45-year-old Richard Howe suffered lacerations to his feet. Two passengers in the vehicle were also injured, 31-year-old Jeanine Howe and a 13-year-old female niece. They suffered from blunt trauma to the chest area. All three were transported to Newton Medical Center by the Ogdensburg Medical Center where they were treated and later released. Tobin was found in possession of 19 pills (later identified as Ecstasy) and a plastic zip lock bag containing marijuana. Tobin has been charged with assault by auto (three counts), possession of ecstasy, possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, reckless driving, speeding and several documentation violations. Assisting at the scene were Andover and Jefferson Township Police Departments and the State Department of Transportation Diversion Team. Route 15 was closed and detoured for more than three hours as the accident was investigated.