April 4th, 1989
Before you abandon your car in Orange, take notice, warned Police Director Charles Cobbertt yesterday.
You could be issued a motor vehicle summons, ordered to appear in municipal court, fined $100 to $500, jailed up to 90 days and have your driver's license revoked, he noted.
Armed with arrest warrants, municipal police yesterday were searching for residents Victor Barolette of Taylor Street; Susan McCree of Christopher Street; Clayton Moore of North Essex Avenue and Dory Morton of Wilson Place. Also being sought were Albert Malette Jr. of Webster Place in East Orange; Jeanette Thomas of South 16th Street in Newark; Eugene S. Royster of Summer Street in Passaic and Deborah Talley of Stasia Street in Teaneck.
The eight abandoned car owners are sadly mistaken if they think they can leave their problemed autos in the 2.2-square-mile city and just forget about them, Cobbertt insisted.
The individuals failed to show up in court last week and they now face being jailed, he said.
Additionally, Cobbertt noted, they will not be eligible to drive a week from tomorrow because police have requested the state Department of Motor Vehicles to take away their driving privileges.
"There are more than 100 abandoned cars in the city and it is becoming a serious problem", Cobberrt said in explaining the crackdown.
He noted the city pound is filled to capacity with vehicles the municipality has towed off streets.
Cobbertt said he is bewildered why people don't avoid court, fines and perhaps jail by simply paying a towing firm $10 to $40 to haul their broken-down hulks to a junk-yard.
"Abandoned car owners are going to find it very, very embarrasing when police come knocking on the door of their homes, bringing them out in handcuffs and place them in jail", he continued.
If that is what people who flaunt the law want, that's exactly what the Orange Police Department and municipal court will give them, Cobbertt said. "It's going to cause them a lot of grief."
Although the eight persons being sought ignored recent summons to appear in municipal court, six other abandoned car owners did show up. They were each slapped with fines.
Cobbertt said Orange residents Jerrilyn Freeman of Highland Avenue and Ammie Sims of Tremont Avenue were fined $115 and $405, respectively; Roderick Golsby of Shepberd Street in East Orange paid $155; Louis LaFrances of Washington Court in Livingston, $115; Pamela Lang of River Avenue in Union, $175; and Thomas Lang of Murray Street in Avenel, $115.
According to Cobbertt, the city must auction off most the abandoned cars that it is forced to tow.
The abandoned vehicles are mostly late 1960s to mid 1980s model cars, he said. Usually, the vehicles are sold for a minimum of $500 to offset towing or storage costs.
“Reach Back with One Hand and Pull Someone Else Up With You.”
– Charles C. Cobbertt
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