Lawyer says Grandma was no ‘getaway driver’ from burglary

A defense lawyer said Wednesday he is optimistic that charges will be dismissed against his client, a 78-year-old woman accused of driving her grandson away from the scene of a burglary in Rockaway Township.

Attorney James Porfido, a former Morris County assistant prosecutor, said client Vera Buniak of Pine Brook is frail, uses a walker and has meager savings.

“She should never have been charged,” said Porfido. “You have to have a purpose to commit a crime, knowledge that one will occur. The poor lady thought she was just helping her grandson. She was not a getaway driver.”

Porfido said he has every reason to believe the state will do the right thing.

On July 27 at 12:54 p.m., Rockaway Township police responded to a call of a burglary in progress on Rolling Ridge Drive. The caller, who lived on the street where the burglary allegedly was occurring, provided police with a description of the suspect’s car, its license plate number and description of the occupants, police said.

Officer Matt Scherr spotted the vehicle heading south on Green Pond Road, and stopped the car in the Hibernia section of the township. Another officer alerted the homeowner, who provided a list of missing property, valued at $4,000, including a Nintendo Wii, video games and other items, police said.

The missing items allegedly were found inside the stopped vehicle, a Chevrolet, and police also found suspected heroin and a hypodermic needle in the car, police said.

An investigation determined that one of the Chevrolet’s passengers, Melanie Coviello, 24, of Denville, had the key to the Realtor lockbox outside the Rolling Ridge Drive home, allowing her to enter the residence without force, police said. Coviello allegedly entered the house with her friend, Timothy Buniak, 18, of Dover, and took the items that were found in the car, police said.

Meanwhile, the Chevrolet driver, Vera Buniak, was charged with possession of stolen property and released on her own recognizance. Porfido said the senior citizen “had no idea, no inkling” that anything was amiss.

Buniak is due in Superior Court, Morristown, on Aug. 26.

Timothy Buniak was charged with burglary, theft, possession of stolen property, possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of a hypodermic needle. Coviello was charged with burglary, theft and possession of stolen property.

Contributing: Staff writer Michael Izzo.

Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com;