CRANFORD, NJ – A late-night traffic stop for a broken tail light turned into a dramatic arrest Monday when police discovered a loaded handgun, narcotics, and erratic behavior from the driver, authorities said.
Shortly before 11 p.m., officers pulled over a 2014 BMW on North Avenue near Orchard Street after noticing the vehicle’s rear light was out. During the stop, Officer Jack Korzeneski and Officer Liam Duffy found the driver, 37-year-old Victor Lopez of Newark, in possession of a loaded semi-automatic Taurus 9mm handgun, hollow-nose bullets, and a quantity of heroin.
Lopez was taken into custody without incident, but the situation quickly escalated once he was transported to police headquarters. According to officials, Lopez became combative, exposed himself, and urinated on police property while in custody…