Carbon monoxide alarm at Hackettstown apartment leads to

Carbon monoxide alarm at
Hackettstown apartment
leads to pot bust

BY MATT MANOCHIO • STAFF WRITER • March
19, 2010

HACKETTSTOWN---Police on Thursday responded
to a Washington Street apartment complex in
reference to an activated carbon monoxide alarm
and wound up arresting two men for marijuana
possession.

The call came in at 10:36 p.m., and upon arrival
police smelled the odor of burnt marijuana coming
from the second floor, police said Friday.

Through investigation, police determined that when
the fire department went into the apartment of
Andrew Walsh, 25, they observed a glass marijuana
pipe on the floor, police said.

As an officer knocked on another apartment door,
42-year-old Richard Bingel answered, which led to
police detecting the odor of burnt marijuana coming
from his apartment, police said.

Both Bingel and Walsh were charged with
possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia,
and both were released pending a court appearance,
police said.

Hackettstown Detective Darren Tynan on Friday said
that while a carbon monoxide alarm was triggered,
fire officials didn't detect the poisonous gas. He
said he wasn't certain whether the two arrested men
knew each other.

The Hackettstown Fire Department assisted at the scene.