Man Panhandling In Barnegat Wawa Parking Lot Arrested On Heroin Charges

by Patricia A. Miller

Barnegat police recently arrested a Jackson man after receiving a number of anonymous calls about a suspicious person at the Wawa on West Bay Avenue.

Patrolman Andrew Parsley arrested Justin Schneider, 24, on Dec. 15, after anonymous callers reported tat a man was approaching cars in the parking lot and asking people for money, Lt. Keith Germain said.

When Parsley approached Schneider, he discovered that Schneider had an outstanding $445 warrant from Manchester. When he began to cuff Schneider, Schneider tried to discard a cigarette pack from his pocket, police said.

Sergeant Jason Carroll - who was on the scene providing backup - also saw Schneider try to throw away the cigarette pack. The pack contained a hypodermic syringe and ten packets of heroin, police said.

Schneider was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and tampering with evidence. He was lodged in the Ocean County Jail in default of $25,000 bail.