Vernon Police

Jan. 5 At 8:35 p.m., Vernon Patrolman Shaun Fitzgerald responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident on Route 94. Investigation at the scene revealed that Steven H. Schmidt, 20, was traveling north on Route 94, when he lost control of his 1996, black GMC Sierra pickup truck and struck a 2008, brown Toyota Tundra being operated southbound on Route 94 by Warren Baldwin of Vernon. After striking the Toyota, Schmidt’s GMC careened off the roadway into a rocky ravine. No injuries were sustained in the accident. Further investigation at the scene resulted in Schmidt’s arrest and he was transported to Vernon Police headquarters, where he was charged with failure to keep right, careless driving and driving while intoxicated. Schmidt was processed and released to a family member pending an appearance in Vernon Municipal Court. At 4:52 p.m., while on patrol, Patrolman Harry Russo observed a black, 1999 Chevy SUV traveling west on Breakneck Road in the Highland Lakes section of Vernon Township cross over the double yellow center lines and then pull into the parking lot of the Christ Community Church on Breakneck Road. Russo stopped in the church parking lot to check on the driver, Christopher A. Laycock, 46, of Bloomfield, and suspected that he was highly intoxicated after speaking to him. After failing several roadside sobriety tests, Laycock was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters, where he failed several Alcotest breath tests. Laycock was charged with driving while intoxicated and failure to keep right. His Chevy was towed and held for 12 hours to satisfy the requirements of John’s Law. He was released to a family member pending a court appearance in Vernon Municipal Court. Jan. 4 At 10:55 p.m., while on patrol in the area of Main Street in Vernon, Patrolman Shaun Fitzgerald observed several lit cigarette butts being thrown out of the sunroof of a 2001, black Honda Civic and he stopped the car on Main Street. While speaking with the driver, Ashley M. Kobylarz, 18, of Augusta, Fitzgerald smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from the interior of the car. Further investigation resulted in her arrest for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and littering. Passenger Michelle L. Vroegindewey, 19, of Wantage Township, was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and consumption of an alcoholic beverage by a person under the legal age of 21. Passenger Jeffrey P. Greiner, 20, of Lafayette, was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and consumption of an alcoholic beverage by a person under the legal age of 21. Passenger Steven M. Cutter, 20, was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and consumption of an alcoholic beverage by a person under the legal age of 21. They were all processed at Vernon Police headquarters and released pending court appearances in Vernon Municipal Court later this month. Jan. 1 At 3:15 a.m., while on patrol, Patrolman Shaun Fitzgerald saw a red, 1998 Ford Explorer parked in a handicapped parking space at the Sunrise Mart on Route 94 in Vernon Township. Approximately 15 minutes later, he noticed that the Ford was still parked in the same space and he observed that there were no customers in the gas station mini-mart. While checking the vehicle, Patrolman Fitzgerald saw that a female was slumped over the wheel. She was the lone occupant of the vehicle and did not respond to shouts or knocking on her windows. Fitzgerald requested assistance from Patrolman Harry Russo, asking Russo to bring with him a vehicle lockout tool. Prior to Russo’s arrival, Fitzgerald was able to open the driver door because the window was partially open. Fitzgerald had difficulty awakening the driver, Kaitlyn R. Tarsa, 20, of the Highland Lakes section of Vernon Township. Suspecting that she was intoxicated, Fitzgerald administered several field sobriety tests, which she failed. She was arrested and transported to Vernon Police headquarters, where she was charged with the following offenses: driving while intoxicated, underage driving while intoxicated, illegally parking in a handicap space, possession of controlled dangerous substance (heroin) in a motor vehicle, possession of controlled dangerous substance, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, illegal possession of Xanax, possession of drug paraphernalia, operating a vehicle while under the influence of heroin and possession of a drug (Xanax) not in a properly marked prescription bottle. She was processed and released to a friend pending an appearance in Vernon Township Municipal Court and her Ford was towed and held for 12 hours to satisfy the requirements of John’s Law.