Drowning. A Plainsboro man drowned in the Delaware and Raritan Canal on April 4 when the canoe in which he was riding capsized.
Prabakar Vadugamangalamkri, 26, of Quail Ridge Drive, was in a canoe he rented with two friends — Anandkuma Duraipandian, 26, and Ramkumar Rengamani, 29, both of Plainsboro — in the canal in Princeton around 3:30 p.m. when the canoe became entangled in tree branches that were partially underwater.
The canoe capsized, throwing all three men, who were poor swimmers and not wearing the life jackets provided to them by the rental company, into the water. The men began to call for help, and people passing by on foot as well as other people in canoes came to their aid, but they could not find Vadugamangalamkri.
Police and water rescue teams were called to the scene, but his body was not found until 5:30 p.m. by divers from Trenton Rescue in 20 feet of water between Washington Road and South Harrison Street. Rescue units from Princeton, Trenton, West Trenton, East Windsor, and Hamilton responded. Vadugamangalamkri’s friends were not injured.
Fire. Two Plainsboro juveniles are in trouble after they started a brush fire in the wooded area in the rear of the cul-de-sac on Heritage Way. Officer Martin McElrath said the boys, ages 12 and 13, were playing with a lighter and set fire to some leaves, which led to a moderate sized brush fire. The wind caused the fire to spread quickly. The Plainsboro Fire Department responded and put out the fire.
Gas Pipe Line Leak. A gas pipe line leak caused closure of Forrestal Road on April 8 at 9:51 a.m. Officer Joseph Breyta said the line was struck at a construction site on the Princeton Forrestal Campus. The surrounding buildings were evacuated and Forrestal Road was shut down temporarily while emergency crews responded. Plainsboro’s police, fire, first aid, and CERT teams responded as well as Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory fire department, Princeton Junction Fire Company, Kingston Volunteer Fire Company, and Princeton Public Safety. PSE&G also responded and abated the gas leak.
Identity Theft. A resident of Ravens Crest Drive was the victim of identity theft on April 10. Officer Timothy McMahon said that between August, 10, 2009, and August, 19, 2009, someone used the victim’s identity to open three fraudulent bank accounts and attempted to transfer $1,100 from the victim’s bank accounts to the fraudulent accounts, but were unsuccessful in doing so.
Criminal Mischief. Someone drove donuts on the grass at Waters Edge Park, causing approximately $50 in damage, sometime between April 12 and 13, said Officer Thomas Larity.
Criminal Trespass and Peering. Police are investigating two suspicious incidents involving an apartment on Quail Ridge Drive. Officer Adam Wurpel said that on April 8 at 8 a.m., someone tried to get into the victim’s apartment, but was unsuccessful. The second incident occurred on April 9 at 3 a.m., when the victim saw two unidentified men peering into the apartment from a second floor breezeway of an adjacent building.
False Public Alarm. Plainsboro police responding to a report that someone was hit by a car on Route 1 arrived to learn someone had been faking injury to determine, as part of a school project, how many people would stop to help.
According to Sergeant Scott Seitz, someone called 9-1-1 to report a man between 18 and 20 years old was hit by a car and was lying in the southbound lanes near College Road, but when police arrived, they found no one. Upon further investigation, police learned, motorists were told he was only lying in the road to see how many people would stop to help. Plainsboro Police were unable to locate the man, who fled on foot prior to their arrival. Witnesses reported the suspect as a white male wearing a plaid shirt and blue jeans. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 609-799-2333.
Two boys, ages 12 and 13, were walking through the common areas of the development on Hampshire Drive on April 13, carrying what appeared to be a rifle, causing public alarm to several residents, said Officer Matt Baumann. He said the boys were actually carrying Air soft guns (rifle and pistol), but that the boys’ parents voluntarily surrendered the weapons to Plainsboro police. No charges were filed.
Defiant Trespass. Plainsboro Police noticed a white man trespassing at the Plainsboro Township Recycling Center, rummaging through the tire disposal trailer and electronic storage area when the center was closed. He fled on foot before police arrived, Officer Matt Baumann said. He was last seen wearing a blue sweatshirt and blue jeans.
Theft. A resident of Prospect Avenue was the victim of theft between March 26 and 27. Officer Thomas Larity said someone entered the victim’s unlocked car and took a silver leather purse containing several credit cards, $380 in cash, and other personal belongings. The total cost of the stolen items is approximately $408.
A resident of Hampshire Drive was the victim of theft between March 30 and April 9. Corporal Robert Fleming said the victim reported that his iPhone 3GS, worth $742.69, was stolen from its shipping package
A resident of Princeton was the victim of theft on April 8 at the Princeton Meadows shopping center. Officer Matthieu Baumann said the victim left her purse in a shopping cart in the parking lot and returned to find that her purse had been stolen. The approximate value of the purse and its contents was $200.
A resident of Knight Drive East was the victim of theft on April 4. Officer Thomas Larity said someone stole the victim’s bike, which was left on the shoreline of a pond near the Firmenich Corporation building on Plainsboro Road. The estimated value of the bike is $100.
Harassment. A resident of Hampshire Drive was the victim of harassment between April 3 and 4. Officer Matt Baumann said someone spit on the victim’s car and left beer bottles on the ground next to her car while it was parked on Hampshire Drive. The car was not damaged.
A resident of Linden Lane was the victim of harassment between April 3 and 4. Officer Matt Baumann said someone was impersonating the victim on a formspring.me online account and answering posted questions as the victim.
A resident of Knox Court was the victim of harassment on April 3. Officer Thomas Larity said someone called the victim’s cell phone from a restricted number and left a threatening voicemail.
DWI Arrests. Sean F. Quest, 19, of West Long Branch was charged April 10 with driving while intoxicated. Corporal George Cier said that while he was patrolling Dey Road, he saw him driving with an inoperable brake light and license plate lamp. He said he also saw him drifting over the fog line on the edge of the road numerous times, stopped him, and found he was intoxicated. He was also charged with underage driving while intoxicated, maintenance of lamps, failure to maintain a lane, and reckless driving.
Michael Schaffer, 23, of Vineland, was charged April 2 with driving while intoxicated. Officer Thomas Larity said he stopped him on Hunters Glen Drive for failing to stop while exiting the parking lot of the Caddy Shack bar and found him to be intoxicated. He was also charged with reckless driving, failure to stop or yield, and speeding.
Travis S. Henderson, 18, of Princeton, was charged April 3 with driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana under 50 grams, and underage possession of alcohol. Corporal Robert Fleming said he saw him make a left on red from Plainsboro Road onto Hunters Glen Drive and stopped him. He said he found he was intoxicated and that he was in possession of the marijuana and an alcoholic beverage. He was also charged with reckless driving, improper passing, failure to observe a signal, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, failure to exhibit registration, being an uninsured motorist, failure to maintain a lane, and possession of an unsealed alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle.
Marcos E. Tecum-Sapon, 34, of Thoreau Drive was charged with driving while intoxicated and possession of cocaine. Officer Martin McElrath said he stopped him on Tennyson Drive for failing to maintain a lane and found him to be intoxicated and in possession of the cocaine. He was also charged with reckless driving, failing to maintain a lane, and operating a motor vehicle while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance. He was also issued a complaint warrant for possession of cocaine.
Roddrick D. Lynch, 24, of Fox Run Drive was charged April 2 with driving while intoxicated. Officer Martin McElrath said he stopped him on Dey Road for failing to maintain a lane and found he was intoxicated. He was also charged with reckless driving, making an improper turn, failure to follow a marked turn course, and failing to maintain a lane.
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