DRUG LABORATORIES DAMAGED BY FIRE

By MICHAEL O. ALLEN | Sunday, September 23, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A07

Fire raged for two hours at the South Hackensack plant of a pharmaceutical company Saturday before Hackensack and South Hackensack firefighters could extinguish the flames.

Lt. Ralph Briggs, a Hackensack Fire Department battalion chief, said the fire severely damaged Tilden Laboratories Inc. at 89 Michael St.
Briggs said no one was injured in the fire, which started at about 1:30 a.m.

Notes: Bergen Page

ENGLEWOOD PILOT KILLED IN N.Y. ACCIDENT; PLANE CRASHES INTO HILLTOP LAKE IN FOG

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Friday, September 21, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B03

A 44-year-old Englewood man who was trying to land his plane in dense fog and rain at an upstate New York airport was killed Wednesday when the plane crashed into a hilltop lake.

Divers removed the body of Mark Jacob Pressburger, 44, from the bottom of Sand Pond near Callicoon at about 2 p.m. Thursday.

Trooper Robert Gillespie, a spokesman for the New York State Police, said Pressburger was flying to meet his wife at the Concord Resort Hotel in Kiamesha Lake, N.Y., on Wednesday night.

Gillespie said Pressburger was apparently thrown clear of the aircraft when it shattered into three pieces as it hit the water.

“It appeared he was the only person on the plane,” Gillespie said. “They located his body at the bottom of the lake, near the wreckage of the plane.”

Greg Feith, an investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, said the Piper Apache took off from Teterboro Airport at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

As Pressburger approached Sullivan County Airport in White Lake, he had trouble attempting a landing on his first pass, Feith said, and was told to circle around and climb to 4,000 feet.

Airport officials and investigators reported that visibility in the area was poor due to dense fog and rain, and that the cloud cover was at 300 feet.

Pressburger, who an official said was co-owner of Bergen Wholesale Meats in Hackensack, acknowledged the instructions. Shortly afterward, at around 5:45 p.m., air controllers lost radio and radar contact with the plane in the Sand Pond area, about 11 miles northwest of the airport.

Gillespie said police began receiving calls reporting a crash shortly after 6 p.m. Searchers that night found debris from the plane, he said, but could not find the plane itself.

On Thursday morning, the searchers returned to Sand Pond Lake and found an oil slick that led them to the wreckage.

Feith said it might take weeks to determine the cause of the crash.

This article contains material from The Associated Press.

Caption: ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO – Divers returning ashore after finding the body of a pilot whose plane crashed Wednesday night in a Sullivan County, N.Y., lake.

SON HELD IN KILLING OF MOTHER; SHE WAS STABBED, BURNED IN RAMSEY

By Michael O. Allen and Chrisena A. Coleman, Record Staff Writers | Wednesday, September 19, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page A01

The youngest son of a Ramsey woman who was stabbed to death and burned 10 days ago was charged with murder and arson Tuesday.
Lee Vozza, 27, who relatives said lived off-and-on at his parents home at 128 Deer Trail North, was arrested in Rye, N.Y. He was being held without bail in Westchester County Jail pending a psychiatric evaluation.
Bergen County Prosecutor John J. Fahy said his office would seek to have Vozza extradited to New Jersey. The prosecutor charges that Vozza stabbed his mother, Stephini Vozza, 54, 11 times in the neck and torso before setting the family house on fire in the early morning of Sept. 9.
Assistant Prosecutor Sharyn Peiffer said arson investigators found a blanket that smelled of gasoline next to the victim’s body.
However, Peiffer said, “She died of stab wounds. She did not die of carbon monoxide inhalation or burning due to the fire.”
Peiffer, head of homicide investigations, refused to comment on a possible motive for the killing.
The fire raged through the modern wood-and-glass, split-level home for about 30 minutes near 4 a.m. on Sept. 9. The contents of the house were burned beyond recognition, Peiffer said, and authorities could not determine if any items might be missing.
“The only charges filed right now are the murder and the arson charges,” Peiffer said. “Investigation is continuing into what was missing from the house. “
Fahy said Ramsey police put out a missing person alarm and stolen car report after determining that Lee Vozza and the victim’s 1980 Oldsmobile were gone after the fire.
Police in Rye found a disoriented Vozza at the Metro-North railroad station in that community early Tuesday.
“He was just sitting there looking real spacey, just staring straight ahead,” said Rye Police Detective Gene Berry.
Berry talked to Vozza, then led him across a parking lot to the nearby police station, where he asked Vozza his name and checked it through a police computer.
Peiffer said Vozza had apparently been staying at different New York locations since the fire.

Keywords: MURDER ; ARSON ; FIRE ; FAMILY ; RAMSEY

SON HELD IN KILLING OF MOTHER; SHE WAS STABBED, BURNED IN RAMSEY

By Michael O. Allen and Chrisena A. Coleman, Record Staff Writers | Wednesday, September 19, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page A01

The youngest son of a Ramsey woman who was stabbed to death and burned 10 days ago was charged with murder and arson Tuesday.

Lee Vozza, 27, who relatives said lived off-and-on at his parents home at 128 Deer Trail North, was arrested in Rye, N.Y. He was being held without bail in Westchester County Jail pending a psychiatric evaluation.

Bergen County Prosecutor John J. Fahy said his office would seek to have Vozza extradited to New Jersey. The prosecutor charges that Vozza stabbed his mother, Stephini Vozza, 54, 11 times in the neck and torso before setting the family house on fire in the early morning of Sept. 9.

Assistant Prosecutor Sharyn Peiffer said arson investigators found a blanket that smelled of gasoline next to the victim’s body.

However, Peiffer said, “She died of stab wounds. She did not die of carbon monoxide inhalation or burning due to the fire.”

Peiffer, head of homicide investigations, refused to comment on a possible motive for the killing.

The fire raged through the modern wood-and-glass, split-level home for about 30 minutes near 4 a.m. on Sept. 9. The contents of the house were burned beyond recognition, Peiffer said, and authorities could not determine if any items might be missing.

“The only charges filed right now are the murder and the arson charges,” Peiffer said. “Investigation is continuing into what was missing from the house.”

Fahy said Ramsey police put out a missing person alarm and stolen car report after determining that Lee Vozza and the victim’s 1980 Oldsmobile were gone after the fire.

Police in Rye found a disoriented Vozza at the Metro-North railroad station in that community early Tuesday.

“He was just sitting there looking real spacey, just staring straight ahead,” said Rye Police Detective Gene Berry.

Berry talked to Vozza, then led him across a parking lot to the nearby police station, where he asked Vozza his name and checked it through a police computer.

Peiffer said Vozza had apparently been staying at different New York locations since the fire.

PARAMUS NABS TRIO ON DRUG, GUN CHARGES

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, September 16, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A09

Two men and a woman from Vermont were arrested Saturday after Paramus police stopped them for erratic driving on Route 17. The three were charged with possession of an automatic pistol, hollow-nose bullets, and 3 1/2 ounces of rock cocaine.

Dennis Dostie, 24; Raymond Wescott, 26, and Sheryl Mayville, 29, all from Milton, Vt., were stopped at about 2:30 a.m. at the intersection of Routes 4 and 17.

Police charged them with possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possession of paraphernalia with intent to distribute, and illegal possession of the weapon and ammunition. They were being held in the county jail on $25,000 bail each.

Paramus Police Chief Joseph Delaney said the car did not have license plates and was weaving from lane to lane.

In addition to the drugs, police said they found a loaded Intertech-9, a 9mm automatic pistol with 36-round ammunition magazine, including 20 hollow-nose bullets.

“To see this weapon, it’s unbelievable,” Delaney said. “It’s an awesome weapon. A magazine carrying 36 rounds you can take down half a police force with that. It shows you what firepower these officers face on the streets. “

Police in New Jersey are not allowed to carry guns holding more than 15 rounds each, Delaney said.

SHOTS FIRED IN FDU MELEE; 5 injured in violence after party in Teaneck

By David Voreacos and Michael Allen, Record Staff Writers | Saturday, September 15, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A03

Gunfire and violence erupted early Friday after a student party at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, injuring five people and prompting the suspension of evening social activities in the Student Union Building.

A festering rivalry between Hackensack and Teaneck residents who are not students sparked the fight, which broke out about 1:25 a.m. after 200 attended a party in the Student Union sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha, a black fraternity on campus, authorities said.

Police and students said two groups of outsiders who attended the party tossed trash cans and threw punches in front of the building. An unidentified gunman then fired about six shots from an automatic handgun, scattering the crowd and hitting the Student Union three times.

Witnesses said about two dozen people were involved in the fight.

No one was hit by gunfire, but Kendal Brown, 24, of Teaneck was hit on the head with a pipe. He was in serious condition Friday at Holy Name Hospital. Charles Daniels, 26, of Teaneck was in good condition with a stab wound to the chest.

Police had made no arrests by late Friday afternoon.

University officials suspended social activities in the Student Union, where many parties are held, and suspended Alpha Phi Alpha, pending a hearing next week to assess the group’s responsibility.

FDU also will study ways to tighten campus security, a spokeswoman said.

“It’s the outside community coming on campus,” said senior Jason Harris, president of 100 Black Men, an FDU student group. “This has been an ongoing problem, but last night it really got out of hand. “

Alexander McLucas Jr., a 19-year-old FDU student, suffered a bruised collarbone while fleeing the scene, and Ilyas Ali, 25, of Teaneck suffered a back laceration when someone attacked him with a beer bottle, police said. Both were treated at Holy Name and released.

Reginald Allen, a 36-year-old campus security guard from Hackensack, was cut on a leg with glass but refused medical treatment.

Three hours after the shooting, police confiscated a revolver from the car of Anthony Christopher Brown, an 18-year-old FDU student from Huntington Station, N.Y. No charges were filed Friday against Brown.

Caption: PHOTO – ED HILL / THE RECORD – Alexander McLucas Jr. of Newark was injured in the FDU brawl.

4-CAR COLLISION SHUTS ROUTE 208

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Friday, September 14, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star | NEWS | Page B03

Two motorists were hospitalized and a section of Route 208 in Franklin Lakes was closed for more than four hours Thursday morning after a rush-hour accident.

Police said a rear-end collision between two cars in a northbound lane sent one of the cars careening into two vehicles in the southbound lanes.

Franklin Lakes traffic officer William Colligan said the accident occurred at about 7:15 a.m. He described the scene as a “mess.”

“Route 208 is a major highway and it occurred at rush hour, so you can imagine how backed up traffic was,” Colligan said. “But we had sufficient police to divert the traffic to county roads” and get motorists “to where they wanted to go.”

Three of the four drivers were injured, and two were hospitalized.

Carl Bayer, 47, of Ringwood suffered multiple fractures and was in stable condition at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, and Frank Miller, 22, of Dumont was in good condition at Hackensack Medical Center with minor injuries.

A 26-year-old woman police did not identify was treated at The Valley Hospital and released. The fourth motorist, George Frey, 34, of Hewitt, was not hurt.

Authorities said the woman was driving a Chevette that struck Miller’s Lincoln Continental as it was traveling north near Ewing Avenue.

The Lincoln went across the grassy median, struck Bayer’s Ford Thunderbird, spun around, and was struck by Frey’s Chevrolet Blazer.

Colligan said Route 208 around the Ewing Avenue exit was closed to traffic until 11:30 a.m. so investigators could gather evidence.

Two police officers from Oakland, three from Wyckoff, and members of the Bergen County Police Department helped divert traffic.

The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the county police, and the Franklin Lakes detective bureau are investigating.

Colligan said that although investigations were still at a preliminary stage, he did not expect criminal charges or summonses to be issued.

Caption: PHOTO – PETER MONSEES / THE RECORD – Wreckage blocking the southbound lanes of Route 208 in Franklin Lakes on Thursday. Three of the four drivers involved were injured.

CABBY NABS HIT-AND-RUN SUSPECT; TRAPS CAR HE SAW STRIKE PEDESTRIAN

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Thursday, September 13, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Two Star | NEWS | Page A01

A cabby who witnessed a hit-and-run accident that injured an elderly pedestrian Wednesday pursued the fleeing driver and repeatedly tried to talk him into returning to the scene.

But Peter Byrne of Ridgefield Park, who works for Mr. Taxi Yellow Cab Co. of Hackensack, said the youth kept pulling away, so he continued to follow him.

Finally, at Harvey Avenue in Rochelle Park, he bumped the youth into a corner driveway and blocked him off as a state police cruiser that also was involved in the chase pulled up. A 17-year-old Hackensack youth, whom authorities declined to identify because of his age, was arrested.

Byrne said he had just dropped off passengers at about 1:40 p.m. when he saw the youth’s car strike Arthur Dehardt Jr. as he crossed West Passaic Street in Rochelle Park. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office said the youth ran a red light at the intersection.

Dehardt, 77, of Rochelle Park, was taken to Hackensack Medical Center with head and rib injuries and was in stable condition Wednesday, authorities said.

“The driver pulled up on the sidewalk, looked at him, and then took off,” Byrne said. “I thought he was going to stop. Then when he pulled away I pulled up next to him and said, `Hey, where you going? You just hit the man. But he just took off. So I made a U-turn and just went after him. “

Byrne, 46, who started working for Mr. Taxi 11 months ago after 25 years as an offset printer, said he kept after the youth, trying unsuccessfully to get him to go back.

After chasing him for about a mile, and jumping out at red lights to urge him to return to the scene, Byrne said he bumped the rear of the youth’s station wagon and forced him into the driveway.

The youth was charged with driving without a license, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving, and disregarding a traffic signal. He was driving his mother’s car, authorities said.

Rochelle Park Police Chief William Betten called Byrne a hero.

“We are extremely pleased with the efforts and cooperation [of Byrne] because it was his effort that resulted in the arrest of this hit-and-run driver,” Betten said. “He deserves all the credit he can get. “

Byrne said he did not consider himself a hero.

“I feel like I’ve just done something that anybody would do,” said the cabby.

Caption: PHOTO – PETER BYRNE, Shuns hero label

2 CHARGED IN CITY BURGLARIES

By MICHAEL O. ALLEN | Friday, September 7, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page A01

Two homeless men were charged with three city burglaries after police caught one of them after he emerged from a second-floor window with stolen money, police said.

Pedro Cordeiro, 20, and Frank Hidalgo, 22, were to be sent to the Bergen County Jail on Thursday on $2,500 bail.

Cordeiro was caught stepping onto a ladder after emerging from the window of a Hudson Street home. He was found with $154.90 allegedly stolen from the residence. Officers Richard Melber and Vincent Pedone had come to the home after receiving a call about a suspicious person about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Cordeiro’s alleged accomplice, Hidalgo, fled when he saw the officers. They captured him about 1:30 a.m. Thursday.

The men admitted stealing a 21-inch color television from a Lodi Street home last week and $50 and an unknown quantity of cigarettes from a Hudson Street store two weeks ago, said Capt. Emil Canestrino.

The two were charged with burglary and theft.