A private security contractor assigned to the George Washington Bridge is accused of smoking pot on the job.
The Port Authority tells Fox 5 News that at about 2 p.m. on Wednesday Port Authority police officers were patrolling the bridge and went to check on the security guard booth at the base of the bridge.
The officers smelled what they believed to be marijuana smoke. When they asked the FJC security guard what it was, he allegedly told them that it was a skunk and that's why he was spraying air freshener in the booth.
The Port Authority says that when the officer searched the booth, they found a small bag of marijuana and a large, half-smoked marijuana cigarette.
The guard, identified as Sami Omar of North Bergen, was arrested and charged with drug possession and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Authorities say that Omar had access to restricted areas of the bridge to be on the lookout for potential terror attacks at the base of the bridge.
The guard posts on both sides of the bride were created after intelligence reports revealed that terrorists were looking at the bridge as a possible target.
The Port Authority says Omar's alleged actions are intolerable and that he will not be allowed at any Port Authority facility again but it's up to the private security company to fire him.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 11:01 PM EDT2013-06-19 03:01:57 GMT
Photo courtesy of @N42_21_W71_04)
Riders should anticipate some changes but "near normal" service on the Long Island Rail Road for the Wednesday morning rush.
Riders should anticipate some changes but "near normal" service on the Long Island Rail Road for the Wednesday morning rush. Crews have bee working to repair tracks and switches after Monday's derailment.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 8:34 PM EDT2013-06-19 00:34:07 GMT
It's a sight that can trigger dread. The low-battery message appears on your cell phone when there's no charger around.
It's a sight that can trigger dread. The low-battery message appears on your cell phone when there's no charger around. Now New York City has teamed up with AT&T to install 25 solar powered charging stations over the summer.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 4:55 PM EDT2013-06-18 20:55:38 GMT
A man accused of fatally shooting a gay man walking with a companion in New York City's Greenwich Village pleaded not guilty.
A man accused of fatally shooting a gay man walking with a companion in New York City's Greenwich Village afterward claimed that he opened fire because the victim "thought he was tough in front of his bitch," prosecutors said in court papers Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:32 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:32:12 GMT
NYC
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers' homes are now in evacuation zones that cover more than a third of the city's population, under new maps released Tuesday.
Nearly 3 million New Yorkers' homes are now in evacuation zones that cover more than a third of the city's population, under new maps released Tuesday.In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, officials said last month, the number of zones would double and encompass about 600,000 more residents.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 3:05 PM EDT2013-06-18 19:05:09 GMT
Police are looking for a man who stabbed another man in Times Square Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.The victim was stabbed in the chest, the NYPD and FDNY said.
Police are looking for a man who stabbed another man in Times Square Tuesday afternoon, authorities said.The victim was stabbed in the chest, the NYPD and FDNY said.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 12:20 PM EDT2013-06-18 16:20:04 GMT
The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
Tuesday, June 18 2013 10:04 AM EDT2013-06-18 14:04:15 GMT
Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch meticulously planned his own funeral, but his tombstone has the wrong birth date. The headstone lists his birth year as 1942 instead of 1924.
Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch meticulously planned his own funeral, but his tombstone has the wrong birth date. The headstone lists his birth year as 1942 instead of 1924.
Monday, June 17 2013 9:50 PM EDT2013-06-18 01:50:24 GMT
More than two dozen family members packed a court room to support the daughter who never gave up on finding her father's killer.
More than two dozen family members packed a court room to support the daughter who never gave up on finding her father's killer. For the first time, Joselyn Martinez came face to face with the man she believes took her dad away from her when she was just a little girl.
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