April 12, 2008


Man, 19, arrested in Lakewood car burglary

Police believe he is an illegal immigrant

By MATT PAIS
STAFF WRITER

A 19-year-old man was caught red-handed by a police officer as he rifled through a parked car and subsequently arrested after a brief confrontation.

Jesus Leon Dominguez, who police believed to be an illegal immigrant living on Waldorf Terrace, was taken into custody after Officer Dennis Scannell observed him sitting in a parked car on Chateau Drive at about 9:45 p.m. Thursday night

Scannell was on patrol in the area when he was dispatched to investigate a 911 hang-up call coming from a Chateau Drive home. Before he arrived, a dispatcher made contact with the original caller and learned that an unidentified man had been jiggling the handle on the front door of the home.

When Scannell pulled onto the street, he turned his lights off and began to search for a man in a red tank-top, said Chief Robert Lawson. Seeing no one fitting that description, Scannell approached the homeowner who had called 911 initially.

As he collected information from the woman, she pointed to her neighbor's car, which was parked behind Scannell.

"She pointed and said, "There he is,' " Lawson said.

Scannell drew his weapon and approached the vehicle, asking Dominguez to put his hands up and surrender. Dominguez got out of the car but began to walk toward the officer, who repeatedly asked him to stop, Lawson said.

Scannell initially pushed Dominguez away, and eventually kicked the suspect to try to get him to halt his approach, Lawson said. During the ensuing scuffle, Officer Erick Miick arrived on scene and assisted in placing Dominguez in handcuffs.

During a search, the suspect was found to have 21 quarters wrapped in plastic, several small bills and a radar detector in his pockets. The items were later identified by the car owner, Lawson said.

Officers also found a large, tactical folding knife in Dominguez's possession, Lawson said.

After being processed at police headquarters, Dominguez was charged with burglary, theft and resisting arrest. He was placed in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River in lieu of $30,000 cash bail and on a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer.

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