Runaway Teen Found in Drug Bust in Now-Condemned Kinnelon Home

A teenager who ran away from her home in North Caldwell was found by Kinnelon police in January in a Ricker Road home that was later condemned as an unsafe structure when bath salts and marijuana led to seven arrests there.

Police announced the results of lab tests and the final arrest made in the case on Monday after state police determined that the substance officers found in the house and believed to be bath salts packaged for sale were, in fact, bath salts, according to Lt. John Schwartz.

Matthew Supel, 20, of Kinnelon, was charged with possession and distribution of bath salts on March 8. On Jan. 8, when the initial arrests were made, Supel; Daniel Reed, 25, of Butler; Louis Pontes III, 22, of Pompton Lakes; Harry Berkshire, 22, of Pompton Lakes; Mark Shultz, 20, of Butler; Roland Becker, 18, of Pompton Lakes; and Michele Grusovnik, 19, of Franklin were all charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. The 15-year-old runaway was also charged and released to her parents.

Police went to the home on Jan. 8 around 2 p.m. after they had received information that the runaway teen was staying at the house. When they arrived, Schwartz said officers heard people running inside and one of the teens hide a marijuana pipe. Officers obtained a search warrant and found the drugs.

All of the arrested individuals are awaiting a court appearance.

Assault on Ricker Road

The same home was the site of a reported assault on March 7 where Schwartz said a 22-year-old Riverdale man reported being pushed and beaten.

"He heard someone knocking on the front door and went to a side door to let the person in," Schwartz said. "As he went to the door, he observed three males walking toward him with clenched fists. The victim attempted to run but was pushed down from behind and assaulted."

Schwartz said another person who was home at the time saw the assault and said he was calling the police. The three men, who were described as white and between the ages of 19 and their early 20's, all between 5-foot-five and six feet tall, fled the home in a gold Nissan Maxima.

The victim, whose name was not released, and residents of the home said they did not know the three men.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Kinnelon Police Detective Bureau at 973-838-5400.

For questions on this blotter, email ariana.cohn-sheehan@patch.com