Cops: Woman Poured Sugar in Gas Tank

Township police reported that within the past week they have filed drug-related charges against two out-of-town residents, with one — a Westfield woman — also accused of allegedly pouring sugar into a car gas tank.

As a result of an investigation into a complaint lodged about damage to a vehicle on Feb. 14, township police said Lauren Korn, 21, of Westfield, now faces charges of criminal mischief, possession of under 50 grams of mariuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police reported that Township Patrol Officer Alex McKnight last Tuesday responded to Hemlock Place to log a report of apparent damage to a vehicle, a 2005 Mitsubishi that had been parked on that street.

The 21-year-old vehicle owner told McKnight that at approximately 6:45 a.m. that day she had discovered that the fuel door on the vehicle was damaged and that a white substance resembling sugar was inside the fuel door, police said. She said she also observed what she believed was sugar inside a tube running from the fuel door to the gas tank, according to the police report.

The patrol officer spoke to a neighbor of the Mitsubishi owner who told him she had spoken to another woman who was in the area at approximately 6:30 a.m. that morning, police said.

According to the police report, that other woman had asked the neighbor to direct her to the Mitsubishi owner's residence. The neighbor directed the woman toward the vehicle owner's residence and observed the woman, later identified as Korn, allegedly approaching the Misubishi while carrying a plastic container, according to the police report.

The neighbor was able to provide a physical description of Korn as well as a description of the vehicle she was driving, police said. Based on the neighbor's description, the resident making the complaint was able to provide Korn as a potential suspect, police said.

The reported victim apparently told police suspected Korn because she fit the description the neighbor provided, and because a friendship between the two young women apparently had soured back in November of 2011, the police report said.

Township Police detectives Mark Neri and Mike Sweeney, initiating a follow up investigation, reportedly learned that Korn was scheduled to appear in Bernards Township Municipal Court later in the day.

Police said the detectives confirmed that Korn had arrived at the municipal court and located her vehicle in the municipal lot off Collyer Lane.

The police detectives allege that they observed a bag of sugar and a plastic container on the front passenger seat, the police report said. The two detectives questioned Korn about the criminal mischief complaint, and reportedly requested consent to search her vehicle.

According to police, Korn granted the consent to search. Police said the search allegedly yielded a plastic container and bag of sugar, which were removed from the vehicle and retained as evidence.

In addition, a small amount of marijuana and EZ Wider rolling papers allegedly were found in the vehicle, according to township police.

Police said Korn was placed under arrest and escorted to township police headquarters. There, she was processed and released on her own recognizance.

The estimated cost to repair the damaged vehicle is $600, the police report said.

Arrest of accused heroin user outside Dunkin Donuts in Lyons Mall

In an unrelated incident, police said they filed drug-related charges against a 34-year-man who appeared to be having a difficult time staying awake while standing in front of the Dunkin Donuts in the Lyons Mall on Sunday afternoon.

Township police allege the man, Richard Vicente of Ringwood, told police he had ingested heroin after officers showed up to investigate the report at 1:15 p.m. that day. Vincent later was charged use or being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of a syringe, according to the township police report.

According to the police report, Patrol Officer Michael Yeo and Police Sgt. Jon Burger arrived and approached Vicente to check on him and asked him if he was having any medical issues.

While speaking to Vicente, Yeo made several observations that lead him to believe that Vicente may allegedly have been under the influence of some type of substance.

Vicente reportedly told Yeo that he had been inside the nearby Subway sandwich shop prior to speaking with the officers, the report said. Yeo then went inside the Subway shop and allegedly found a syringe in the men’s room, police said.

Allegedly, Vicente then admitted that the syringe was his and that he had used it to ingest heroin at some time before speaking with the officers, the police report said.

Vicente was placed under arrest and transported to headquarters, where he was processed and released on his own recognizance, township police reported.