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Kearny PD: Drunken man on his way out of custody had sudden change of heart, assaulted 2 cops, peed on jail cell, missing toilet

Nov 14, 2023

On March 15 at 9:01 p.m., James B. Wandling, 49, of Clark, allegedly drove his black Audi SUV west on Rose Street, but instead of turning right or left when he reached its T-intersection with Belgrove Drive, Wandling continued straight down an embankment next to the apartment building at 111 Belgrove Drive.

Officers Kevin Matos and Angel Martinez arrived as Wandling was in reverse and pressing the gas reportedly trying to free himself from his predicament. When officers’ instructions to turn off the vehicle were unheeded, the cops took Wandling from the vehicle at gunpoint.

The officers arrested Wandling for DWI after developing cause to believe he had operated his SUV under the influence of intoxicants. At police headquarters Wandling was issued a number of traffic summonses, including DWI, refusal to submit to chemical testing and reckless driving. He was then released to a family member's custody.

Unfortunately, after being told he was free to go, Wandling allegedly re-entered the police station lobby and pushed two officers. He then allegedly pushed the family member who he summoned to pick him up. When officers re-arrested Wandling, he reportedly struck one of them in the throat and sustained a bloody nose himself.

Officers confined Wandling to a jail cell and tried to get him evaluated by EMS but Wandling's disposition reportedly frustrated the first aiders’efforts to tend to him. To cap off this display, Wandling allegedly urinated on the floor of the jail cell instead of in its toilet.

Wandling was additionally charged with two counts of aggravated assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, simple assault and criminal mischief. After about an hour, EMTs were able to examine Wandling and transported him to Jersey City Medical Center.

On March 17 at 4:12 a.m., Officer Chris Montes and several backup officers were dispatched to Wawa where a manager reported a man in the store was being aggressive to customers, even chasing some to their cars and threatening to fight them.

Officers then met Willie J. Mitchell, 36, of Newark. They explained to Mitchell the store was not pressing charges but he was no longer welcome as a customer. Mitchell's response was reportedly to go toe-to-toe with officers and inform them that he will "f— [them] up."

Mitchell then allegedly tried to reenter the store telling officers he can do whatever he wants. In an attempt to re-enter the store, Mitchell allegedly got into the personal space of Sgt. Tim Castle, which was not a well-laid plan as Castle has the constitution of a Peterbuilt.

Officers arrested Mitchell for defiant trespass, over his resistance, and took a box cutter off his person. At the police station, officers also charged Mitchell with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and refusal to submit to fingerprinting. Mitchell was charged by summons and released to the custody of Jersey City Medical Center.

On March 13 at 8:35 p.m., Officers Tom Collins and Matt Knighton were called to Walmart where a loss prevention associate accused Carlos Correa, 54, of Newark, of concealing unpaid-for sneakers worth $60.91 in a backpack. Correa was stopped by the store associate who recovered the hidden merchandise.

Officers arrested Correa for shoplifting. He was later charged at the police station with an additional offense of hindering apprehension after a fingerprint analysis revealed he had given officers a false identity. Correa was then held at the county jail in South Kearny.

On March 15 at 6:14 a.m., a local resident called police reporting Megan McGirr had just been at his home and he has as restraining order barring her from contact with him. Officers quickly found McGirr at the Dunkin’ on Schuyler Avenue in nearby North Arlington. They learned that she also had an arrest warrant issued for her alleged involvement in another recent restraining order violation committed against a different victim.

Officers arrested McGirr and charged her with contempt. She was lodged in the Hudson County Jail.

On March 15 at 6:30 a.m., Officer Christos Manolis, who is assigned full-time to the U.S. Marshal's Regional Fugitive Task Force, apprehended Daniel E. Martha-Veras, 28, at his Newark home. Martha-Veras was the subject of an arrest warrant issued for his alleged involvement in a Jan. 7 strong-arm robbery at ShopRite Liquors in Kearny.

Det. Jordenson Jean investigated that case and developed probable cause to accuse Martha-Veras of stealing $419.97 of Hennessy bottles and pushing a store associate to the floor when the associate tried to stop Martha-Veras from escaping.

Martha-Veras was booked into the Hudson County Jail by Officer Manolis and his task force partners.

On March 17 at 8:32 p.m., Officers Anthony Oliveira and Josh Lopez and Sgt. Sean Kelly were dispatched to Marshalls store where staff had notified police they had an underwear bandit in their midst.

A loss prevention associate accused Jose A. Dominguez, 34, of Newark, of concealing $124.94 of men's underwear in a bag and passing all points of sale without shelling out for the skivvies. Incident to arrest, officers recovered a crack pipe, several metal rods, and two small plastic vials from Dominguez's pockets

Officers charged Dominguez with shoplifting and possession of drug paraphernalia before housing him in the Hudson County jail.

On March 19, just past midnight, Officer Danny Maganinho and several backup officers were dispatched to a dispute at Quick Chek. Upon arrival, Officer Maganinho saw Betsey Rondon standing in the intersection of Kearny and Bergen avenues screaming and blocking traffic, seemingly unphased by his show of lights and sirens.

Officer Maganinho tried to talk to Rondon who allegedly responded by advancing on him and swinging her arms aggressively. Officer Anthon Oliveira learned Rondon had allegedly ordered a large quantity of food at Quick Chek but could not pay for it. When an employee canceled the order, she allegedly threw a cup of coffee at the employee and knocked over a lottery machine, breaking it.

Officer Maganinho arrested Rondon for criminal mischief, simple assault, and disorderly conduct. She was later released with summonses.

Capt. Timothy Wagner is the Kearny Police Department's public-information officer and the commander of the department's Internal Affairs Unit. He contributes the KPD Blotter weekly and writes it completely.

On March 15 at 9:01 p.m. On March 17 at 4:12 a.m. On March 13 at 8:35 p.m. On March 15 at 6:14 a.m. On March 15 at 6:30 a.m On March 17 at 8:32 p.m. On March 19, just past midnight