On the Beat with Middletown Police: St. Patrick's Day

Middletown Police had some arresting developments on St. Patrick’s Day. Eight people were arrested and charged with offenses ranging from mass fights, to marijuana possession, to alcohol-related incidents …

On March 17 at 5:46 p.m., police responded to a report of a fight in progress at the Middletown Train Station. Upon arrival officers found a crowd of approximately fifty people scattered throughout the parking lot.

Police began dispersing the crowd when four subjects refused to obey orders to leave the area. Officers issued numerous warnings to leave, which were refused by the group in which all participants continued to yell obscenities and create a disturbance.

Patrolmen Ryan Riffert, Kevin Gardiner and James Beirne arrested and charged Steven Hewitt, 20, and Caitlyn Hewitt, 22, both of Kanes Lane, Middletown and two 17-year-old-juveniles with disorderly conduct.

They were processed and released.

At 9:15 p.m., Patrolman Frank Mazza and Detective Lt. Stephen Dollinger were assigned to a Cops in Shops detail at Junction Bar and Liquors, on Main Street in the Belford section of the township, when they arrested two subjects for alcohol-related offenses.

The Cops in Shops program involves assigning officers to a bar in order to enforce alcohol-related laws. The officers arrested Sergio Casal, 20, of Kentucky Avenue, Hazlet, and Joseph Toner, 21, of Main Street, Belford.

Casal was charged with being under the legal age to possess alcohol and having Toner purchase it for him. Toner was charged with purchasing alcohol for a person under the legal age (Casal).

Both were processed and released on a summons pending a court appearance.

At 10:50 p.m., Patrolman Stephen Keller, who was working a DWI roadblock at the intersection of Route 35 and Navesink River Road, approached a vehicle that entered the checkpoint and detected a strong odor of what he identified as burnt marijuana emanating from inside the car.

Officer Keller’s investigation resulted in the alleged discovery of a small bag that contained marijuana and a pipe used to smoke it.

The driver, identified as Johann Castaneda, 27, of Shore Drive, Highlands, was arrested and charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) in a motor vehicle.

He was released on a summons pending a court appearance.

At 12:42 a.m. on March 18, Patrolman Frank Mazza, who was also assigned to the DWI roadblock, arrested and charged Timothy Fitzpatrick, 47, of Main Street, Belford with driving while Intoxicated after Fitzpatrick was determined to be driving under the influence of alcohol after pulling into the roadblock and being checked by Mazza.

In addition to the driving while intoxicated charge, Fitzpatrick was also issued motor vehicle summonses for reckless driving and revoked driving.

He was being held on $2,750.00 bail.