Kinnelon Residents React to Smoke Rise Deaths

See what people were saying around Kinnelon Thursday on Facebook and Twitter as police investigated the scene where two bodies were found inside a Long Meadow Road home.

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Drunken Driver Flipped Hummer Over Rt. 23 Barrier On to Car, Cops Say

Vernon man hospitalized after SUV landed on his Volkswagen's roof.

A Vernon man was taken to Chilton Hospital Sunday morning after police said a drunken driver flipped his Hummer over the Route 23 North barrier, landing on the man's Volkswagen. Alex B. Malaquti, 19, of Hewitt, was charged with driving while intoxicated and issued a summons for reckless driving, according to a release from Kinnelon Police Lt. John Schwartz. Schwartz said Sgt. Joseph Fiduccia and Ptl. Nicholas Cifelli responded to a motor vehicle accident call on Route 23 just before 2:30 a.m. to find a 1996 Volkswagen with extensive front damage in the middle of the northbound lane of traffic and a 2003 Hummer flipped over on its roof about 100 yards away in the southbound lanes of the highway. Witnesses told officers that the Hummer, …

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Drunken Kinnelon Man 'Lunged' at Officer, Cops Say

Overturned car reported near Sunrise Terrace.

A Kinnelon man was charged with disorderly conduct and DWI Thursday morning after police said he "became threatening and lunged at" a police officer before being placed under arrest. Matthew Luisi, 22, was additionally issued summonses for failure to exhibit insurance documents and failure to maintain a lane. He was transported to Morristown Medical Center following his arrest just after 2 a.m. for an evaluation. He was later released and is awaiting a court date. According to Kinnelon Police Detective Sgt. David Crouthamel, Luisi was found standing on the roadway near an overturned silver BMW in the middle of Boonton Avenue, near Sunrise Terrace. Luisi told police he was not injured, Crouthamel said, but Ptl. Mark Ehrenburg smelled …

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Kids at Kinnelon Mall Spark Police Concerns [POLL]

Tell us whether you think kids gathering at the Kinnelon mall is a problem in our poll.

With Clearview Cinemas' Kinnelon 11 playing anchor to the shopping center, Kinnelon Mall has long been a place where young people hang out before and after a movie, or even when they're not seeing a movie at all. But now Kinnelon Police Chief John Finkle is concerned about the kids hanging out at the mall after the department has received several complaints, according to Suburban Trends. Additionally, on Tuesdays, police have seen an issue with so many cars parking in the lot when Optimum customers are able to see a free movie. Kids have also been hanging out at Meadtown Shopping Center which has caused similar disruptions, the Trends reported. Tell us: What do you think? Are the kids hanging out at Kinnelon Mall a problem or not so much? …

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Unwanted Meds Being Collected at Kinnelon Police Department

Residents, non-residents can drop off medicine inside police lobby.

For the second year, the Kinnelon Police Department will be offering a place for residents to bring their unwanted medications without any questions inside the police department lobby. Medications can be dropped off without question in the MedReturn box right inside the front door. The medication dropbox is not only open to Kinnelon residents but anyone who has unwanted medication they wish to dispose of. Police will not be accepting needles, infectious waste or aerosol cans through the box. The Butler Police Department also participates annually in a similar unwanted medication drop-off program as part of "Operation Take Back New Jersey" in September. For more information about the dropbox, contact the Kinnelon Police Department at 973-…

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Dagger, Switch Blade Found in Man's Car in Kinnelon

Police said 17-year-old admitted drinking when an open beer can was found on passenger's side floor.

Three weapons were recovered from the search of a Pompton Plains man's car Tuesday after police investigated him for allegedly throwing an item off the bridge over Route 287 in Kinnelon. Steve Otte, 23, was charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose for having a switch blade, butterfly knife and dagger in his car, and charged with providing alcohol to a person underage. He was also issued summonses for having an open container in a motor vehicle and consuming an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle. His 17-year-old passenger, also from Pompton Plains, was charged with underage possession of alcohol and issued summonses for having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle and consuming alcohol in a motor vehicle. …

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

Same house site of assault last week when police said a man was pushed down by three men 'with clenched fists.'

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 …

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John Smith

10:27 am on Tuesday, April 30, 2013

He doesn't go looking for kids. I have watched the house for a long time, the kids he is related to, well the bring friends over and they stay. He doesn't need to go looking. Come on, if you want to talk about this, then you should really think about what you say before you do.   more ›

Kinnelon Bagel Burglar Made Off With Over $2K, Cops Say

Clifton man charged in connection with January bagel shop burglary.

A Clifton man was charged with burglary and theft Tuesday after a more than month-long investigation into a burglary at Kinnelon Bagel led to his arrest. Brian P. Barone, 47, was charged with criminal mischief and possession of stolen property, in addition to the burglary and theft charges, after police said he stole $2,500 and a safe from the store. Kinnelon Police Lt. John Schwartz said officers responded to the store on Jan. 21 at almost midnight after the burglary alarm went off. Schwartz said the officers found the back door ajar and officers determined that someone had entered the store through an air conditioning vent. The Morris County Sheriff's Office also responded to assist at the scene. Barone is now being held on other related…

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87-Year-Old Man Injured in Kinnelon Road Crash

Power restored after pole brought down power lines when struck.

Kinnelon Road, near South Glen Road, was closed Monday afternoon after an 87-year-old driver crashed into a pole on the road. Kinnelon police Lt. John Schwartz said the driver, a Kinnelon resident, became dizzy while driving, lost control of his 2000 Dodge pickup truck and crashed into the pole. His car sustained heavy front end damage and the telephone pole was snapped in half around 1:45 p.m. "Wires were lying across the roadway," Schwartz said. The driver had gotten out of his truck on his own and was walking around, Schwartz said. He was transported to Chilton Hospital by Tri-Boro First Aid Squad. Power outages were reported in the area of South Glen Road and Kinnelon Road was shut down for about two hours while the power lines were …

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New Cops Could Be on the Horizon in Kinnelon

Five officers expected to retire in next two years.

Kinnelon Councilman Gary Moleta revealed plans at Thursday's council meeting to amp up the Kinnelon police force in coming years. "The chief is requesting we look at hiring in the future because we may be losing five officers within the next few years," he said. "We have to seriously look at a process being put into place so that we can fill in these roles." Moleta said the borough should consider that five officers will likely be retiring within the next two years. "It's something we really have to look at with a department of only 16, which is, as far as I'm concerned, a bit shorthanded based on economic times and whatnot," Moleta said. The police department responded to about 2,600 calls last month, the councilman said. They arrested …

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