Man Arrested for 'Giving the Finger'

An 18-year-old student at the Somerset County Alternative School, on Finderne Avenue, was arrested for disorderly conduct Oct. 25 after he gave the middle finger to an officer during class.

Anthony Dones, of Elizabeth, was charged with disorderly conduct at 12:02 p.m. after he took on a dare to give the finger to officers standing outside the classroom.

“He did it, and the officers removed him from class,” said Bridgewater Township Police Lt. Al Nicaretta.

Nicaretta said there are extra officers at the school from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. every day.

“We want to try to quell anything this may lead up to, and nip it in the bud before anything occurs,” he said, adding that Dones was processed and released.

The police department made several other arrests at the end of October for driving while intoxicated and shoplifting.

• Thomas Schwing, 54, of Basking Ridge, was charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to maintain a lane, reckless driving, refusal to submit to breath tests and failure to exhibit documents after he was pulled over while driving on Route 202/206 at 12:06 a.m. Oct. 28.
• Elijah Cotton, 20, of Franklin Park, was charged with shoplifting after he was allegedly found with $149.50 worth of merchandise from at 10:27 a.m. Oct. 27.
• Desmond Francis, 24, of Somerset, was charged with possession of marijuana after officers detected the odor of the drug in his vehicle when he was pulled over for having tinted windows while driving on Finderne Avenue at 11:55 a.m. Oct. 24.
• Two separate burglaries of vehicles were reported on two different days. On Oct. 21, at 9:09 a.m., a Dow Road resident reported that someone entered his unlocked vehicle and removed $150 worth of merchandise. Another was reported at 8:19 a.m. Oct. 27 when a Claire Drive resident said that someone entered his unlocked vehicle and removed $910 worth of items.

For questions about this blotter, email audreyl@patch.com.