Jorge L. Lema, 26 of Newark, was driving a 1999 Acura when he came to an abrupt stop in the middle of West Westfield Avenue at approximately 2:08 a.m. early Sunday morning. Patrolman Matthew Hopkins was at the scene of an earlier unrelated traffic stop when Lema approached the car. Hopkins noticed that the driver was covered in blood as was the interior of the car. The vehicle had significant damage to the passenger side, possible from a sideswipe crash with a blue or gray vehicle.
Lema appeared intoxicated and was incoherent but stated he was ‘jumped’ somewhere in Newark. Police removed Lema from the car and requested EMS. Lema had a large open wound to his arm and another less severe wound to his leg. Inside Lema’s Acura police found several glass vials containing suspected cocaine.
Lema was placed under arrest and transported to Trinitas Hospital in Elizabeth. A check of surrounding law enforcement agencies did not reveal any open assault or stabbing cases that could be connected to Lema.
Later Sunday morning, Lema was discharged from the hospital and returned to RPPD where he charged with DWI and several other traffic related offenses in addition to possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
Lema was lodged into the Union County Jail in lieu of $15,000 bail.