A routine patrol of a Route 17 business parking lot in Mahwah turned into a child-endangerment case Wednesday evening after police said they pulled over a vehicle carrying a 7-year-old child alongside suspected cocaine packaged for distribution and several hundred dollars in cash. Three Bronx residents now face charges in connection with the stop.
Davion Hicks, 22, Raymond Gomez, 37, and Kimberly Colon, 29, all of the Bronx, were arrested after Mahwah police stopped their vehicle in the parking lot, according to Patch. The outlet reported that a 7-year-old child was also in the car at the time of the stop. Police said the vehicle contained what they described as a quantity of suspected cocaine packaged for distribution, along with several hundred dollars in cash.
How the Investigation Started
The encounter began around 5:20 p.m. Wednesday, when Officer Nick Williams launched an investigation into the possible sale of drugs in the Route 17 parking lot, per the same account. That inquiry led to the vehicle stop and the discovery of the suspected narcotics and cash inside. Daily Voice reported that the stop occurred outside a Route 17 business, attributing the account to Mahwah Capt. Michael Blondin.
All three adults were charged with drug distribution and endangering the welfare of a child, the report notes. Hicks and Gomez face charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and endangering the welfare of a child, as does Colon.
Jail, Release, and What Happens Next
Hicks and Gomez were taken to the Bergen County Jail following their arrests, while Colon was released to await a hearing in Superior Court, the report states. Daily Voice reported that the child was released into the custody of a guardian.
Charges in Bergen County typically begin in municipal court, where probable cause is established, pretrial-release conditions are set, and preliminary arraignments are held before complaints may be forwarded to the county prosecutor's office for possible grand-jury action, according to New Jersey Courts. Not all criminal court records are available for public inspection, the New Jersey Courts public access portal notes, since certain records remain confidential under state statutes and court rules.
Mahwah's stretch of Route 17 has drawn police attention in other cases in recent years. In February 2024, Mahwah police reportedly arrested a business owner and his two sons in connection with alleged sales of THC products to underage teens at a Route 17 gas station, according to Daily Voice. And in April 2024, a Mahwah officer reportedly stopped three people on Route 17 and found a loaded gun, cocaine and other items, the outlet separately reported.
