Jersey woman chucks Molotov cocktail at boyfriend’s home: COVID-19 related arrests spike in the state
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, many people were arrested for disobeying the lockdown restrictions in their states.
Some even intentionally false-claimed they had contracted the virus and tried to cough and spit on cops and other officials, protesting against the new order.
At the end of March, Gurbir S. Grewal, the New Jersey Attorney General, released a list of arrests of people who violated the social distancing. Not only they defied the stay-at-home order, but they have also broken other laws while doing it.
General Grewal strongly advised the locals to follow strictly the new order, “not only to keep themselves and others healthy but to avoid creating more work and risks for hard-pressed law enforcement officers”.
The list of arrests includes various cases of Jersey residents disagreeing with the new laws.
Disrespecting officers by spitting and coughing on them was quite common. However, one of these cases rapidly escalated and even included a Molotov cocktail.
In the state of New Jersey, by the beginning of May, the confirmed coronavirus cases are 127,438, with 7,886 deaths. On March 21st, when the total cases were still below 2,000, the government imposed the new lockdown restrictions, without setting an end date.
By publishing the record of these arrests, Attorney General Grewal urges people to start following the stay-at-home restrictions and act by the state’s laws. He explains:
“Stay home and stay safe” is not just good advice during COVID-19 emergency – It’s the Law
Here are a few of the most shocking Jersey arrests in March, provoked by the COVID-19 restrictions.
1. “On March 25, Karley A. Rosell, 24, of Pitman, was charged in a domestic violence incident with leaving her home and allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at her boyfriend’s residence.”
Luckily, the incendiary weapon did not detonate. The woman was charged with arson and weapons offenses. Moreover, she was also charged with a disorderly person’s offense for defying the social distancing order.
2. “On March 16, Jennifer Burgess allegedly spit on officers in Dunellen, claiming to have tested positive for COVID-19.”
Burges was then charged with second-degree terroristic threats for intentionally spitting on a law enforcement officer.
3. “On March 17, Nicole A. Ayvaz, 23, was arrested in Belleville and charged with false public alarm.”
The 23-year-old allegedly called emergency dispatchers and claimed she had contracted coronavirus, so the Essex County College could close. Unsurprisingly, she did not have the virus.
4. “On March 20, Eliyohu S. Zaks, 49, was charged with maintaining a nuisance for holding a wedding.”
The wedding was violating the lockdown order prohibiting large gatherings.
5. “On March 20, Marina N. Bishara-Rhone, 22, allegedly coughed directly on an officer during a domestic violence incident in River Edge.”
Marina claimed she was coronavirus positive and she hoped the officer she coughed on was now infected. The offender was charged with endangering and throwing bodily fluid at a law enforcement officer.
6. “On March 24, George Falcone, 50, was charged with terroristic threats, obstruction, and harassment.”
Falcone allegedly purposely coughed on a Wegmans employee in Manalapan. What’s more, he refused to cooperate with the police officer.
7. “On March 27, in Hazlet, state troopers charged Travis Urban, 30, with obstruction and hindering apprehension or prosecution.”
The convict allegedly falsely claimed he had coronavirus in an attempt to avoid further charges after being involved in a motor vehicle accident.
The list with the arrests closely related to COVID-19 contains a total of 24 cases. Most of them include disrespecting officials. Others are of people holding weddings or throwing parties, disregarding the law forbidding large gatherings. Some offenders even used coronavirus as an excuse to escape from their responsibility for other crimes.
