PANNELLS MAKING A `MEMORIAL JOURNEY’

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, April 10, 1991

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

The family of Phillip C. Pannell will make a “memorial journey” to the youth’s grave in Fair Lawn this morning.
The event, announced Tuesday by the Rev. Herbert Daughtry on the steps of the Municipal Building, is one of several planned today to mark the anniversary of Pannell’s death.
Daughtry was joined by Pannell’s parents, Phillip D. and Thelma Pannell; their 14-year-old daughter, Natasha, and black leaders as he announced the graveside visit. The Pannells will travel to the grave by car with members of community groups, all assembling at 10 a.m. at the Shiloh AME Zion Church in Englewood.
Another observance is planned today at the township high school, which Pannell attended. Principal James DeLaney said students will reflect on the events of the past year between 1:15 and 2 p.m.
Pannell, 16, was shot by Officer Gary S. Spath, who is awaiting trial on a charge of reckless manslaughter. Police say the black youth was reaching for a loaded gun when he was shot by the white officer. Witnesses have said Pannell’s arms were raised. The shooting inflamed racial tensions in Teaneck.
Wednesday night, Daughtry, a Teaneck resident who is national minister of the House of the Lord Pentecostal Church in Brooklyn, is scheduled to preside at a memorial service for Pannell at the Community Baptist Church in Englewood. It will begin at 7.
On Saturday, marchers will meet at noon at the Bryant School, near where the shooting took place, and walk to the Bergen County Courthouse in Hackensack, Daughtry said.
Also present at Tuesday’s news conference were the Rev. Al Sharpton; Dr. William B. Jones of the African Council; Robert H. Robinson of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and the Rev. Stanley Dennison, president of the Black Clergy Council of Englewood-Teaneck and vicinity.
Record Staff Writer David Voreacos contributed to this article.

Keywords: TEANECK; BLACK; YOUTH; SHOOTING; DEATH; POLICE; ANNIVERSARY

MAN FIGHTS OFF GUNMEN WHO TIED UP, ROBBED WIFE

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Saturday, February 23, 1991

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS| Page A02

A 32-year-old building superintendent Friday fought off three armed robbers after they forced their way into his apartment, tied up his wife, stole money and jewelry, and then shot an elderly woman as they fled, said Police Chief John Orso.
A woman walking her dog outside the robbery scene, at 293 Elsmere Place, was slightly injured by a bullet fired by one of the fleeing robbers. The woman, who was not identified, was in good condition at Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, where she was being treated for a wound in her right arm.
The robbers, pursued by Fort Lee, Port Authority, and New York City police, escaped in a red Mercedes-Benz over the George Washington Bridge into New York City, Orso said.
The incident began about 1:30 p.m. when the trio, pretending they were to check a gas leak, pushed past Faviola Rodrigues, 30, tied her up, and stole $800 and jewelry, Orso said.
Her husband, Gabriel Rodrigues, was working outside the building when he saw one of the men in his apartment. He ran to the front door and confronted the three as they ran out. One man saw Rodrigues carrying a portable radio and told a partner to shoot, Orso said.
“They thought he was a police officer,” he said. “Gabriel grabbed the guy with the gun and he was wrestling the guy. The guy shot off two or three rounds. “
With Rodrigues in pursuit, the robbers ran two blocks and joined a fourth man waiting in the car. Rodrigues jumped on the trunk of the car as it pulled away and put his right fist through the rear windshield. He fell off the car and was treated at the scene for cuts and abrasions, Orso said.

Keywords: ROBBERY; FORT LEE; SHOOTING

TEANECK SHOOTING IS PROBED

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Saturday, January 19, 1991

The Record (New Jersey) | Two Star B | NEWS | Page A07

Police are investigating the circumstances under which a 20-year-old township woman was shot in the toe Friday, police said.
Paula Slade of 555 Wyndham Road was admitted to Holy Name Hospital shortly after 1 a.m. and was in good condition, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Slade and her boyfriend, William Reynolds of the Bronx, initially told police that an unknown motorist shot her in the foot as they walked along Cedar Lane, Police Sgt. Robert Adomilli said.
However, during questioning, Adomilli said, Reynolds told police that he found a gun in New York and was showing it to Slade, who he said had never seen or held a gun before.
Reynolds told police that Slade took the gun from him and ran away, cocking the .22-caliber revolver by mistake. The gun went off and struck the fourth toe of her left foot when Reynolds reached out to take it, Adomilli said.

Keywords: TEANECK; SHOOTING; PROBE

HACKENSACK SHOOTING VICTIM HELD; POLICE SAY HE RAN COCAINE RING

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Saturday, January 12, 1991

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

A 28-year-old city resident who was paralyzed last month in what New York police called a drug-related shootout was arrested Friday on drug and weapon charges as he came out of a hospital.
Juan Cuevas, now wheelchair-bound, had just attended a physical-therapy session at Hackensack Medical Center when police arrested him at noon, Police Chief William Iurato said.
Cuevas was charged with possession of a firearm, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia as a result of a police raid on his home last month. He was released after his wife paid 10 percent of $5,000 bail.
Iurato said police will move to seize Cuevas single-family, Colonial-style house at 385 Summit Ave. because he operated a large-scale cocaine ring there. Cuevas purchased the house for $275,000 in August, the chief said.
“At this point we don’t know how sophisticated the operation was, but the home was protected by a sophisticated surveillance and burglar-alarm system,” Iurato said.
New York City police found the bullet-riddled bodies of four men, including Cuevas, at 620 S. 147th St. in Manhattan on Dec. 16. Two of the men were dead. Cuevas, who had been shot in the chest and lungs, and the fourth man were hospitalized.
Acting on a tip from an anonymous caller on Dec. 18, the Hackensack Police Narcotics Unit arrested his wife, Elizabeth Cuevas, 23, his brother, Jose Cuevas, 24, and Anselmo Pineda, 37, at the house. During the arrest, Hackensack police found a .45-caliber handgun, scales used to weigh drugs, burglar alarms, signaling devices, and surveillance cameras in and outside the house, including one in a birdhouse.

Keywords: HACKENSACK; SHOOTING; VICTIM; DRUG; CRIME

LINK SOUGHT IN HACKENSACK DRUG BUST, N.Y. SHOOTINGS

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, December 19, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B05

Police are investigating the connections between three people arrested in the city Monday and the victims of a shootout in New York that left two people dead and two in the hospital.

Acting on a tip from an anonymous caller, the Hackensack Police Narcotics Unit, assisted by the Bergen County Police Canine Unit, arrested Elizabeth Cuevas, 23, her brother-in-law, Jose Cuevas, 24, and Anselmo Pineda on drug and weapons charges at a house at 385 Summit St. at about 1:30 p.m.

Capt. John Aletta, Hackensack’s chief of investigations, said the house is owned by 28-year-old Juan Cuevas, Elizabeth’s husband. He was shot in the chest and lungs during what New York City police called a drug-related shootout Sunday.

Cuevas condition has improved from critical to stable, a spokeswoman at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City said Tuesday.

New York City police found the bullet-riddled bodies of four men, including Cuevas, in a basement apartment at 620 S. 147th St. shortly after midnight Sunday.

Two New York City men Ricardo Peguero, 25, of the Bronx, and Julio Olivero, 31, of Manhattan were dead at the scene, said Detective Joseph McConville, a New York police spokesman. Manuel Fortunato of Yonkers was in critical condition at Harlem Hospital.

Police said they found four 9mm automatic handguns in the apartment.

Those arrested in Hackensack and the victims in the New York City incident were part of a large-scale drug operation, Aletta said, adding that he expected to make more arrests.

New York City Police Detective Robert Nugent, the investigating officer, said the shooting was “definitely drug-related. ” He said the men moved as much as $200,000 a day in drugs.

Nugent said his investigation was continuing and that he was in contact with Hackensack police to check any New Jersey connections. Aletta confirmed that Hackensack and New York City police were in contact on the case.

Elizabeth and Jose Cuevas were charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a .45-caliber handgun. She was released from the Bergen County Jail on $5,000 bail, while he remained in jail with the same bail. Pineda also failed to post $5,000 bail on charges of possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Aletta said an anonymous caller phoned the narcotics unit about noon Monday and told them about the New York shooting. He said the caller said he was to help move drugs out of 385 Summit St. because police were looking for the drugs and might come to the house.

The Narcotics Unit, including Police Chief William Iurato, Aletta, Detective Sgts. Michael Mordaga and Robert Wright, Sgt. Arthur Mento, and Detective Haywood Powell, went to the residence after getting a warrant, Aletta said.

Aletta said the police did not find drugs, but found the gun, scales used to weigh cocaine and heroin, drug-packaging bags, a 1988 Ford Thunderbird with a false gas tank, and a jacket made with bulletproof material.

The house was equipped with cameras in several rooms and two cameras in birdhouses on a tree in the back yard of the house, Aletta said.

MAN SEEKING GUN PERMIT FIRES SHOT AT BOROUGH HALL

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Thursday, November 29, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B05

A 33-year-old former resident waiting for a gun permit from the borough was arrested late Tuesday night after he shot at Borough Hall, police said.

Robert M. Teter of 351 River Road, Little Ferry, was charged with unlawful use of a weapon and with having a loaded semiautomatic rifle in his possession, Ridgefield Detective John Bogovich said.

Police Chief Lars N. Oyen said Teter had appeared “somewhat disoriented” when he came into into the police station earlier Tuesday to apply for a gun permit. He was told the police needed time to check his background before he could be given a permit, Oyen said. Teter had received a permit from the department several years earlier, the chief said.

“Interestingly enough, there was nothing in his background that would indicate a problem,” and a permit would have been issued on Wednesday, Oyen said. Bogovich said Teter moved to Little Ferry a week ago after seven years as a Ridgefield resident.

Bogovich said police received a call about a gunman who had shot at Borough Hall at about 10:40 Tuesday night. Police found Teter in his car near the railroad tracks on Edgewater Avenue, he said. Teter refused to put up his hands and keep them in plain view, and it took four officers to subdue him, Bogovich said.

The shot hit the front of building, to the north side of the front door, and missed a window near a police lieutenant’s desk, Oyen said. No one was in that office at the time, authorities said, but police were on duty in other offices in the building.

Teter had two bullets in the rifle’s magazine, one in the chamber, and 54 additional rounds of ammunition in his car, police said.

He was undergoing psychiatric evaluation at Bergen Pines County Hospital on Wednesday and was being held on $25,000 bail, Oyen said.

A YEAR LATER, A SHOOTING SUSPECT

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Friday, November 9, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Three Star P | NEWS | Page B03

A 33-year-old New York City man arrested Thursday by city police and charged with possessing a stolen car was wanted for a shooting in Englewood a year ago, police said.

Eric Flake was wanted for two counts of attempted murder, four counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of gun possession in the Nov. 18, 1989, shooting of Neville G. Tyrell of Teaneck, said Englewood Detective Capt. C. Kenneth Tinsley.

Flake was arrested at 1 a.m. Thursday along with Herbert Smith, 35, of New York City, who was a passenger in the car Flake was driving.

Tinsley said Police Officer James Morgan ran a check on the car’s license plate when Flake made a turn without signaling. Morgan learned the car was stolen from Prince George County, Md., Tinsley said.

Morgan, assisted by officers George Coleman and Timothy Riley, pulled the car over and arrested the men. Flake and Smith, also charged with possession of stolen property, were being held in the Bergen County Jail on $5,000 bail.

As they were processing the men at the Englewood police station, Tinsley said, the officers discovered that Flake was wanted for contempt of court, attempted murder, and related charges in connection with the shooting of Tyrell.

Tinsley said the police report of that incident indicated that Flake, who was standing with a friend at Lafayette Place and Parkview Drive, waved Tyrell’s car over and fired several shots as Tyrell rolled down his window.

One shot passed through Tyrell’s arm and struck his chest, according to the report. Tyrell drove to Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, where he was treated and released.

DAD HELD GIRL HOSTAGE BEFORE, COPS SAY

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 7, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B02

A 32-year-old Teaneck man who shot a neighbor Sunday night and then held his young daughter hostage as “protection” from police used the child the same way in an incident this spring, police said.

As he did Sunday, Shawn Thompson released then 16-month-old Jasmine after a dispute with his wife on June 19 over custody of the child, police said.

Police defused that situation without harm to anyone.

Thompson did not threaten to harm his daughter in either incident, according to police reports.

On Sunday night, Thompson allegedly shot Earl Johnson, a neighbor who apparently was attempting to mediate a dispute between Thompson and his mother.

Johnson, 29, was in critical condition at Holy Name Hospital with a neck wound Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said. Doctors repaired Johnson’s right jugular vein, but were unable to remove the bullet.

Thompson was being held in the Bergen County Jail Tuesday on $50,000 bail. Teaneck police charged him with aggravated assault and possession of firearms.

The shooting occurred after Hazel Thompson asked police to remove her son from the home they shared at 51 Garden St., police said.

Mrs. Thompson; her companion, Ernest Walters; her father; Jasmine; and Johnson, who lives across the street from the Thompsons at 44 Garden St., were in the house when police arrived.

Both Johnson and Walters had tried unsuccessfully to talk Shawn Thompson into leaving the house, police said.

Johnson took Mrs. Thompson’s father to his home across the street. Mrs. Thompson then left with police to seek a restraining order.

Moments later, police learned that someone had been shot at the house. Johnson had somehow left the house and was taken to the hospital, police said. Thompson had taken his daughter and was talking to police.

“This is one step higher than the last time, and I’m going to take it one step higher,” Sgt. Fred Ahearn said Thompson told him on the phone. “I’m not going to jail, and I know my daughter is my protection.”

But after talking with a relative and with Capt. Gary Fiedler, Thompson released the child and surrendered.

Police, armed with a search warrant, found two rifles, two handguns, and ammunition when they searched the house.

In the June incident, police said Thompson had a dispute with his wife, who had threatened to take the child away.

Thompson, who had taken Jasmine after the dispute, held police at bay for a short time, but then released her to an aunt. He was not charged.

NEIGHBORS SPAT GETS OUT OF HAND

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Saturday, October 27, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A04

A 31-year-old borough man was arrested Friday after he pointed a rifle at his neighbor’s head and then fought over the gun with him, police said. A shot was fired during the struggle.

Police Lt. Steven Nienstedt said the incident occurred early Friday morning when Jack Gordon of 135 Sylvan St. was confronted by neighbor Brian Murray of 121 Sylvan St., who objected that Gordon’s dog kept disrupting a party he was attending at 80 Highland Cross.

The third time Gordon went to retrieve the dog, Nienstedt said, Murray met him at the gate, and the men exchanged words.

Gordon then went into his house and returned with the rifle, placing its barrel on Murray’s forehead, Nienstedt said.

“I think we’ve got a problem here,” Gordon said, according to the police report.

Nienstedt said Murray and Gordon then struggled over the gun for about 30 seconds, during which the gun discharged. Neighbors called police, who arrested Gordon and seized the gun.

Gordon was charged with aggravated assault and possessing a firearm with the intent to use it unlawfully, Nienstedt said.

The lieutenant said it was unclear whether noise from the party disturbed Gordon, or whether he purposely released the dog. No one at the Rutherford police station received complaints of excessive noise from the party, he said.

COPS LED ON CAR CHASE ENDING IN ELMWOOD PARK

MICHAEL O. ALLEN | Sunday, October 7, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A06

A high-speed chase that started in New York City with a traffic violation and two shots being fired at a policeman ended Saturday morning in Elmwood Park when the driver abandoned the car and fled on foot.

No arrest was made, said Sgt. Mary Wrensen, a spokeswoman for the New York Police Department.

Wrensen said Police Officer Patrick Mulholland of the Manhattan North Task Force stopped a black 1980 car after it went through a red light about 12:05 a.m. on Saturday at Broadway and West 178th Street.