Police in Hopewell Township investigate cases of fraud, assaults involving dangerous alcohol and crimes

Fraudulent unemployment claim filed using a stolen identity

On October 7, police officer Maria Gavdanovich met with the victim of fraudsters on Cleveland Road. The victim reported receiving mail from his company’s human resources department that a claim had been fraudulently filed with the Department of Labor using his identity. The victim stated that while checking documents at home, he realized that his passport was lost/stolen. The last time he remembered having the passport was in August 2024. The victim was advised to continue monitoring his credit and bank reports. As of this time, there were no monetary losses.

The driver was arrested for DUI and numerous warrants at Brandon Farms

On October 13th, Officer George Peterson was dispatched to the intersection of Hedgecroft and Chicory to find a suspicious vehicle parked with two occupants. During the conversation, the driver showed signs of alcohol intoxication. The driver performed field sobriety tests on the side of the road and was eventually arrested for DUI. Additionally, multiple warrants were located in the Pennington area, West Windsor and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department for the driver’s arrest, who was arrested at the scene and transported to HTPD for processing. The individual was later turned over to the custody of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department. The case will be heard in the city court.

Credit card fraud report after unauthorized fuel purchase

On October 8, police officer Michael Krinkoli met with the victim of fraudsters in the lobby of the KhPD. The victim reported that her credit card was used for numerous fraudulent and unauthorized purchases while out of the country. Between September 14 and 27, approximately $1,200 worth of purchases were made in North Jersey, all for fuel at various gas stations. The matter is being investigated.

Criminal mischief was suspected after metal was found in a tire at a Pennington restaurant

On October 8, Officer Michael Henriques met with a crime victim in the HTPD lobby. The victim stated that he found a piece of metal in the tire of his car and believed that the incident was a criminal act (not from the roadway). The victim stated that the vehicle was parked at Union Boil Co in Pennington on the evening of October 3rd. While at the restaurant, the victim received a notification on her phone about low tire pressure in her car. When she looked at the vehicle, she found a piece of metal sticking out of the side of the tire. The matter is being investigated.

The driver is charged with DUI and assault after the accident

On Oct. 20, Officer Robert Voorhees responded to Trenton-Harborton Road/Wusamonsa Road for a report of a motor vehicle accident. Upon arrival, officers responded to the emergency for all occupants and began investigating the accident. One of the drivers was found to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash and was arrested and charged with vehicular assault, hit-and-run, reckless driving, driving in marked lanes, no license/registration/insurance and Refusal to inspect. The driver was later released. The case will be considered in the Supreme Court.

The driver was arrested after fleeing the scene of the crash on Denow Road

On Oct. 20, Officer Blake DeMeter responded to Denow Road for a report of an MV crash and was told the hit-and-run vehicle was fleeing. While driving to the scene of the accident, he observed a fleeing vehicle and stopped the vehicle. It turned out that the driver was intoxicated at that time. After a sobriety test, the driver was detained at the scene and taken to the police station for investigation. The driver was later released from custody and charged with reckless driving and leaving the scene of an incident. The case will be heard in the city court.

This information is provided by the Town of Hopewell Police Department serving the Town of Hopewell and Hopewell County.