Hopewell Township PD investigates fraud, DUIs and criminal incidents

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Fraudulent unemployment claim submitted using stolen identity

On October 7, officer Maria Gavdanovich met with the fraud victim on Cleveland Road. The victim reported receiving a notice in the mail from his company’s human resources department that a lawsuit had been fraudulently filed with the Department of Labor using his identity. The victim stated that while checking his documents at home, he discovered that his passport had been lost/stolen. The last time he remembered holding the passport was in August 2024. The victim was advised to keep an eye on his credit and bank statements in the future. There was no financial loss at this point.

Driver arrested for DUI and multiple warrants in Brandon Farms

On October 13, Officer George Peterson was dispatched to the intersection of Hedgecroft and Chicory to retrieve a suspicious vehicle that was parked with two occupants. Upon contact, it was discovered that the driver exhibited physical signs of intoxication. The driver performed a roadside sobriety test and was ultimately arrested for drunk driving. Additionally, multiple warrants were located in Pennington Borough, West Windsor Township and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department for the driver, who was arrested at the scene and transported to HTPD for processing. The individual was later transferred to the custody of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department. The matter will be heard in the district court.

Credit card fraud reported after unauthorized fuel purchase

On October 8, Officer Michael Crincoli met with the fraud victim in the HTPD lobby. The victim reported that his credit card was used to make numerous fraudulent and unauthorized purchases abroad. Between September 14 and September 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 suspected after metal found at Pennington Restaurant in Tire

On October 8, Officer Michael Enriquez met with the victim of criminal mischief in the HTPD lobby. The victim reported finding a piece of metal in the tire of his vehicle and believed the incident was a criminal offense (off 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 that her vehicle’s tire pressure was low. When she looked at the vehicle, she noticed a piece of metal sticking out of the side of the tire. The matter is being investigated.

Driver charged with drunk driving and bodily harm after accident

On October 20, Officer Robert Voorhees responded to Trenton Harbourton Road / Woosamonsa Road for a reported motor vehicle accident. Upon arrival, officers responded to the scene to provide emergency assistance to all occupants and began investigating the accident. It was determined that one of the drivers was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. He was arrested and charged with assault, drunk driving, reckless driving, driving in marked lanes, no driver’s license/registration/insurance, etc. Failure to inspect. The driver was later released. The matter is being heard in the Supreme Court.

Driver arrested for drunk driving after fleeing the scene of an accident on Denow Road

On October 20, Officer Blake DeMeter responded to Denow Road for a reported MV accident and the offending vehicle was reported to be fleeing. On the way to the scene of the accident, he observed the fleeing vehicle and carried out a vehicle check. It turned out that the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time. After a field sobriety test, the driver was arrested and transported to HTPD for further investigation. The driver was later released from custody and charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving and leaving the scene. The matter will be heard in the district court.

This information is provided by the Hopewell Township Police Department, which serves Hopewell Township and Hopewell Borough.