Reports from the West Milford Police Department

The West Milford Police Department responded to 2,686 calls for service during August. The department filed the following information as part of its monthly activity report:

Series of shoplifting arrests

During August a number of individuals were arrested for shoplifting various quantities of merchandise from the West Milford ShopRite.

The following were charged on summons to appear in West Milford Municipal Court:

Tina Hintz, 33, Hamburg

Stephanie Cortese, 34,West Milford

Edward Burke 48, Sloatsburg, N.Y.

Additionally, Damian Wesler, 42, Pompton Lakes, Brittany Wesler, 32, Pompton Lakes, and Robert Norman, 37, Wantage, were charged on warrants for shoplifting in excess of $500 of merchandise and lodged in Passaic County Jail pending initial video conference in Passaic County Superior Court.

Norman was charged with two separate incidents of shoplifting, both exceeding $500.

Driving while intoxicated

On Aug. 12, at 7:52 a.m., Officer Jordan Primavera was dispatched to a motor vehicle crash into a utility pole at the intersection of Warwick Turnpike and Lakeshore Drive South.

When he arrived, he found a 2008 Honda CRV at the utility pole and checked on the driver and lone occupant, William Schlesinger, 56,of Warwick, N.Y.

While speaking with Schlesinger to make sure he was uninjured and did not require medical assistance, Primavera detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage and observed signs of intoxication.

Sgt. Gary Yarnall arrived to assist. After failing standard field sobriety tests, Schlesinger was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated. He also was charged with reckless driving and failure to maintain a lane.

He was released to a friend pending initial appearance in West Milford Municipal Court.

Leaving the scene of a crash

On Aug. 22, at 9:54 p.m., Officer Jordan Primavera was dispatched to the scene of a motor vehicle crash at 538 Lakeside Road.

When he arrived, he was told by witnesses the other vehicle involved left the scene of the crash. Primavera received a description of that vehicle and notified other officers who were responding to the area.

Officer Kevin Canova saw a vehicle matching the description of a 2001 red Toyota Tacoma with front end damage pass him on Warwick Turnpike near White Road.

Canova then conducted a motor vehicle stop and made contact with the driver and lone occupant: Roy Peterson, 62, of Denville, N.J. Police said Peterson admitted to driving on Lakeside Road and being involved in a crash but stated he exchanged information and then left the scene.

While speaking with Peterson, Canova detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage and observed signs of intoxication.

After failing standard sobriety tests, Peterson was placed under arrest for driving while. He was transported and processed. He also was charged with refusal to submit to breath testing, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident.

He was released to a friend pending initial appearance in West Milford Municipal Court.

Theft of a motor vehicle

On Aug. 24, at 5 a.m., West Milford Police Dispatch was notified by Ringwood Police of a vehicle in a hit-and-run crash which had taken place in Ringwood. The vehicle had subsequently struck a utility pole and the driver fled the scene.

The vehicle returned to a Burnt Meadow Road address and officers made contact with the owner who advised no one in the family had the vehicle.

Ringwood Police were then called back and advised the vehicle was stolen. Passaic County Sheriff K9 was in the area and tracking the suspect.

Ringwood Police called again, advising they had arrested Timothy “TC” VanDunk, 32 of West Milford at a residence in Ringwood.

Police said VanDunk had sustained facial injuries consistent with being in the motor vehicle crash.

The following day, VanDunk voluntarily surrendered and was charged with third-degree motor vehicle theft. He was released on summons to appear in Passaic County Superior Court.

Driving while intoxicated

On Aug. 29, at 4:45 p.m., West Milford Police Dispatch received a 911 call from a concerned party that an intoxicated female had just left a bar in the Upper Greenwood Lake section of the township. The caller describe of the vehicle as a black Grand Marquis and provided a New Jersey registration.

Officer Jill Brickman was patrolling the area of Greenwood Lake Turnpike and Lincoln Avenue when she observed the vehicle pass her. Brickman was advised that the registered owner of the vehicle had a suspended driver’s license.

Officer Brickman then stopped the car and made contact with the driver and lone occupant: Kimberly DiFabrizio, 61, of Ringwood.

While speaking to DiFabrizio, Brickman detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage and observed signs of intoxication.

After failing standard field sobriety tests, DiFabrizio was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated. She was transported and processed. She also was charged with reckless driving and driving with a suspended driver’s license.

She was released to a family member pending initial appearance in West Milford Municipal Court.

Endangering the welfare of a child and DWI

On Aug. 30, at 11:46 a.m., Officer James McMahon and Officer Casey Casbarro responded to 3 Roads Deli on a report that a car went into the brook behind the deli.

On arrival McMahon saw a 2015 Dodge Dart nose down in the brook. He found the driver of the vehicle - Mary Macfadden, 26, of Monroe, N.Y., outside the vehicle and to be exhibiting signs of intoxication while she told him her two-year-old daughter was still in the car.

McMahon was able to remove the child from her car seat uninjured.

Police said Macfadden refused several requests to perform standard field tests; she was charged with driving while intoxicated.

Police said numerous bottles of empty and full methadone were recovered from the vehicle once it was winched from the brook.

Macfadden and her child were taken to the West Milford Police station.

A family member was contacted and and arrived to take custody of the child and Macfadden.

She also was charged with reckless driving and refusal to submit to breath testing pending an initial appearance in West Milford Municipal Court. She also was charged with third-degree endangering the welfare of a child pending an initial appearance in Passaic County Superior Court.