Englewood man charged with dumping junk at park
Vernon. Mark Lopez was charged with dumping a large pile of debris that included an old couch, window shutters, and masonry at Maple Grange Park.
| 22 Sep 2020 | 12:39
Vernon Township Mayor Howard Burrell stands by a pile of trash found at Maple Grange Park on Sept. 14.
An Englewood man has been charged with dumping a large pile of junk into an area of Maple Grange Park.
Mark Lopez, 23, was charged with dumping on land owned by others and littering.
Police said the dumping occurred on Sunday evening, Sept. 13, and was reported to them the following morning. The pile contained an old couch, window shutters, wooden trunks filled with clothing, masonry, a can of wood stain, and several other items.
The pile has since been removed by workers from the Vernon Township Department of Public Works.
Vernon Township Mayor Howard Burrell said he received texts and calls Monday morning from residents who walk at Maple Grange Park reporting the trash pile.
“Some individuals have no sense of pride or shame,” Burrell said. “It’s awful.”
Councilwoman Kelly Weller saw the pile at her daughter’s cheerleading practice session on Monday.
“It’s just so disheartening to see someone would do that to our park,” she said. “It was awful to see.”
Lopez was released pending a future municipal court appearance.