VERNON POLICE

June 6 At approximately 12:10 a.m., Vernon Police officers were dispatched to a one-vehicle rollover accident on County Route 565 near Scenic Lakes Road. Upon arrival officers found a 2001 Dodge Dakota pickup truck overturned in the roadway. Witnesses on scene advised officers that the white male driver had fled on foot through the woods. Witnesses pointed out the direction of travel of the fleeing driver. Vernon Police K-9 Officer William Gebhard began a track with his police bloodhound Miranda. Miranda tracked the suspect through several backyards of local homes and then through wooded sections. After approximately a one-mile track, Miranada located the suspect hiding in a tall overgrown weedy area. The suspect, Bruce E. Chavez, 46 of Cando, North Dakota, was placed under arrest and transported to Vernon Township Police Headquarters. Chavez was processed and charged with drunk driving, driving with a suspended license, leaving the scene of an accident, uninsured motor vehicle, careless driving and failure to report a motor vehicle accident. He was released to a family member pending a June 16, 2009 Vernon Court date. Patrolman Derrick Scudieri and Patrolman Charles Reid were the investigating officers. June 1 While checking out a report at about 10:15 p.m. of a suspicious vehicle on Appleseed Road, in Lake Panorama, Vernon, Patrolman James Higgins found both occupants of the black, 2006 Ford Explorer to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, a marijuana smoking pipe, While speaking with the driver, Ronald Guiliano, 18, of Hamburg, and his passenger, Nicholas J. Licursi, 19, of the Lake Panorama section of Vernon Township, Patrolman Higgins smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana and observed the marijuana in the vehicle. Both Guiliano and Licursi were processed at police headquarters and released pending appearances in Vernon Municipal Court on June 9. May 1 At 4:10 p.m., Vernon Police received a 911 call reporting a struck pedestrian on Breakneck Road in the Highland Lakes section of Vernon Township. Investigation at the scene revealed that Brandon Natalia, age 10, of Alturas Lane, was crossing Breakneck Road when he was struck by a Ford F-350 pickup truck operated by Michael Gray, 32, of Union Turnpike in Branchville. Brandon was walking home from his school bus stop with an adult neighbor at the time of the accident, Brandon was flown by helicopter to Morristown Hospital by Northstar for his injuries, which included severe abrasions and possible fractured leg. The Vernon Police were assisted at the scene and/or helicopter landing zone by the Vernon Ambulance Squad, the Highland Lakes Fire Department, MIC 53 paramedics, and Highland Lakes 390 Security. Investigation of the accident is being continued.